Department for Transport

Trains: Diesel

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many new diesel four car units have been introduced to the rail network in each year since 2015.

Kevin Foster: Between 2015 and 2022, 389 units were ordered that are fitted with diesel engines, 66 of those units comprise of four passenger vehicles with the remainder of the units ordered comprising of two, three, five and nine passenger vehicles. Greater Anglia introduced 24 Class 755/4 units with four passenger vehicles into service in 2019, the remaining 42 units for West Midlands Trains and Transport for Wales are currently in build or on test. Of the 389 self-powered units ordered between 2015 and 2022, 175 were diesel only, and 214 are bi/tri-mode units and are trains that have the ability to operate from diesel, overhead line or battery power as appropriate.

Railways: Fares

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans she has to maintain the range of rail fares currently set by Government following the statutory creation of GBR.

Kevin Foster: We protect passengers by setting the maximum amount by which regulated fares can increase year-on-year.We have been clear we want to simplify the current mass of complicated fares and tickets, whilst protecting affordable turn up and go tickets and season tickets.

Railways: Season Tickets

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she will publish the review of the introduction of flexible season tickets.

Kevin Foster: The Department is conducting a 12-month review of the flexible season tickets to evaluate their impact. The report is being finalised and we intend to publish the findings in due course.

Railways: Greater London

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to Answer of 14 September 2022 to Question 45030 on Railways: Greater London, what recent discussions her Department has had with Govia Thameslink on reductions in service.

Kevin Foster: The Department meets regularly with Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) and will continue to carefully monitor implementation of GTR’s recent and future timetable alterations as well as changes in demand to identify where further interventions in service level provision may be required. GTR are making evidence-based timetable interventions to better optimise service levels to balance capacity and demand.

Bus Services and Railways: Concessions

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of offering half-price train and bus tickets to (a) apprentices and (b) those on a low income in the context of the rising cost of living.

Kevin Foster: We already have a number of measures in place which help passengers, including apprentices and those on a low income, save on rail fares. Many will be able to benefit from the railcards on offer which offer discounts against most rail fares. Most recently, we launched a ticket sale, with over 1.3 million tickets being sold, offering around £7million worth of savings for passengers. In considering any new rail fare discounts, the Government would need to carefully consider the potential benefits to passengers, costs to taxpayers and impact on the operation of the railway.

Great Western Railway

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to First Greater Western Limited, (a) whether her Department has approved the £33 million dividend payment which is described as awaiting its approval in that company's 2020-21 accounts filed at Companies House and (b) what total amount of dividend payment her Department approved for that company in (i) 2019-20 and (ii) 2020-21.

Kevin Foster: Dividend applications are a matter for First Greater Western Limited and its owning group.

Avanti West Coast: Standards

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the press notice entitled Avanti West Coast placed on short-term contract to drastically improve services published on 7 October 2022, for what reason the improvement plan outlined in that notice does not reference a target to improve weekend services.

Kevin Foster: The service increases and performance improvements that form Avanti’s recovery plan are targeted across both the week and the weekend. The railway must reform and modernise to operate a 7-day timetable that doesn't depend on drivers working overtime.

Avanti West Coast

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the press release entitled Avanti West Coast placed on short-term contract to drastically improve services published on 7 October 2022, whether the management fee for the 6 month period from October to April 2022 will be lower than the six month period from (a) March to October 2022 and (b) October 2021 to March 2022.

Kevin Foster: Operators are paid a fixed management fee, which remains unchanged, plus a variable performance payment which varies according to the performance score awarded to the operator following an independent evaluation. The independent evaluation will take account of the full range of evidence relevant to the period in question.

Avanti West Coast: Crew

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to Part 1, Schedule 6.2(A), Clause 10 of the West Coast Partnership Franchise Agreement, how many train drivers recruited after this contract began have (a) completed their training and (b) commenced work on Avanti services.

Kevin Foster: To date, Avanti West Coast has recruited 105 drivers since the commencement of the contract in December 2019.AWC are on course to introduce 100 additional drivers into formal service this year in support of its recovery plan which will see services significantly increase by December.

West Coast Partnership Rail Franchise

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to Part 1, Schedule 6.2(A), Clause 10 of the West Coast Partnership Franchise Agreement, how many train drivers have been recruited from the beginning of the franchise to date.

Kevin Foster: To date, Avanti West Coast has recruited 105 drivers.Extended and unprecedented reductions in train services, alongside training restrictions imposed just months after the start of the Franchise, have made accurate driver requirement projections challenging.AWC are on course to introduce 100 additional drivers into formal service this year in support of its recovery plan which will see services significantly increase by December.

West Coast Partnership Rail Franchise

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the West Coast Partnership Emergency Recovery Measures agreement, published September 2020, Part 1, Schedule 6.2(A), Clause 10.2(b), how many train drivers were needed to be recruited to deliver the planned passenger services, and how many of those drivers have been recruited to date.

Kevin Foster: To date, Avanti West Coast has recruited 105 drivers.Extended and unprecedented reductions in train services, alongside training restrictions imposed just months after the start of the Franchise, have made accurate driver requirement projections challenging.AWC are on course to introduce 100 additional drivers into formal service this year in support of its recovery plan which will see services significantly increase by December.

West Coast Main Line

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve rail services between Lancaster and London.

Kevin Foster: While Avanti West Coast has temporarily reduced services on some routes due to a shortage of drivers, the direct Lancaster to London service pattern is unchanged. Ahead of December’s significant increase to the timetable on other routes, Avanti West Coast continues to train more drivers with nearly 100 entering service this year. This will improve resilience for services between Lancaster and London.

Railways: Costs and Income

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the impact of indexation on rail industry revenue and costs.

Kevin Foster: The Department considers the effects of indexation and inflation when analysing major decisions where appropriate, including revenue impacts. The Department is currently gauging potential indexation impacts (i.e inflation) on operator costs.

Railways

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department agreed for (a) train operating companies and (b) Network Rail to purchase tables at the National Rail Awards on 10 October 2022.

Kevin Foster: Train operating companies determine locally the appropriate level of spending for industry awards events within their overall contractual requirements to act as good and efficient operators. Network Rail determines appropriate levels of spending within their delegations. Any spend on attendance at award ceremonies is controlled by their business travel and expenses policy which requires a clear, justified business reason for attendance aligned to managing public money requirements.

Railways: Greater London

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to Answer of 14 September 2022 to Question 45030 on Railways: Greater London, what steps her Department is taking to monitor the potential impact of reductions in rail (a) services and (b) capacity on the use of private vehicles in London.

Kevin Foster: We are not monitoring the impact of changes in rail services on car usage, however, we are focussed on ensuring Govia Thameslink Railway are making evidence-based timetable interventions to better optimise service levels to balance capacity and demand.

Aviation: Compensation

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department will allow Regulation EC261/2004 to expire after the passage of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill in 2023.

Katherine Fletcher: The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has introduced the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, which will end the special status of ‘retained EU law’ and ensure that it can be easily amended or removed.My Department is in the process of fully considering how to best use our legislative freedom outside of the EU, including exploring options for pieces of retained EU Law, in preparation for the Bill.

Aviation: Compensation

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has had discussions with the devolved administrations on reforming domestic flight compensation regulations.

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when her Department will publish its response to its consultation on Reforming aviation consumer policy: protecting air passenger rights; and whether she still supports the policy aims of that consultation.

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will introduce a new compensation regime for domestic flights through primary legislation.

Katherine Fletcher: The Government remains committed to protecting the rights of passengers when travelling by air. The Aviation Consumer Policy Reform Consultation aimed to collect views on ways to bolster air passenger rights. It explored a range of consumer policy reforms, including additional powers for the Civil Aviation Authority, and reform to compensation for delayed domestic UK flights. We are currently conducting a comprehensive review and analysis of responses and will set out next steps shortly. The Department for Transport has held discussions with the Devolved Administrations ahead of publication of the Aviation Consumer Policy Reform Consultation and will continue engagement going forward.

ATOL

Anthony Mangnall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with the Civil Aviation Authority on taking steps to help ensure that renewal decisions for Air Travel Organiser's Licences (ATOL) are made with consideration to the financial impact of the covid-19 pandemic on international travel operators.

Katherine Fletcher: The Civil Aviation Authority is the independent regulator responsible for the administration of the ATOL scheme. It would therefore not be appropriate for the Government to intervene in CAA licence renewal decisions.

Infrastructure: Havering

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate she has made of the increase in cost of (a) running and repairing streetlights, (b) road maintenance and (c) building new roads and other local infrastructure, in Havering, in the context of the increased rate of inflation.

Katherine Fletcher: Transport in London is devolved and is the responsibility of the Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL). While the Department for Transport works closely with TfL on a range of issues, decisions on spending are entirely matters for TfL and/or the London boroughs where funding is devolved at the borough level. The Department is working closely with local government (including the Association for Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport) to understand increases in the cost of road maintenance, as well as associated supply chain issues.

Passports

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with representatives of airline companies on the validity for travel of UK passports with less than six months remaining until their expiry date following the UK’s departure from the EU.

Katherine Fletcher: The Secretary of State speaks regularly to airline stakeholders on topical issues.All relevant information on passport validity requirements is published on the travel advisory pages of GOV.UK which are regularly updated.

Taxis: Safety

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has reviewed the potential impact of removing vehicle and operator signage from taxis on (a) service accessibility for passengers, (b) the safety of (i) women, (ii) children and (iii) other vulnerable people and (c) consumer confidence.

Lucy Frazer: I refer to the Answer given on Thursday 22 September 2022 to the Parliamentary Question 53392.

Taxis: Fares

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact a 20 per cent rise in taxi fares would have on rural towns and communities.

Lucy Frazer: For taxis, which can be hailed in the street or at taxi ranks in the area in which they are licensed, local licensing authorities can set maximum fares. These should pay regard to the needs of the travelling public and what it is reasonable to expect people to pay, but also to the need to give taxi drivers the ability to earn a sufficient income. Regulated metered fares provide an important element of consumer protection as passengers do not pre-book the journey. Many authorities have been reviewing their maximum taxi fares this year in light of the increasing pressure on everyone’s finances. Local authorities have no power to set fares for private hire vehicles. These services must be booked in advance and the competitive pre-booked market allows operators to compete on price as well as other factors such as quality of service and reputation.

Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Recruitment

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps she has taken to increase the number of qualified HGV drivers in the UK.

Lucy Frazer: The Government has taken decisive action to address the HGV driver shortage putting in place 33 short, medium and long-term interventions to date to help alleviate the existing HGV driver shortages. The Department for Transport has also provided grant funding for the non-profit initiative Road to Logistics to train military service leavers, ex-offenders and the long term unemployed to move into jobs in the logistics sector, including lorry driving.To meet demand, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has increased the supply of driving tests. The average number of vocational test slots is now around 2,800 per week compared to a pre-pandemic 1,500 tests. Despite the increase in demand for licences, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is processing all vocational applications within the normal turnaround time of 5 working days.

Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Wales

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had recent discussions with the Welsh Government on making an estimate of the number of newly qualified HGV drivers in Wales in each of the last three years.

Lucy Frazer: The number of drivers with an address in Wales who have passed an HGV driving test in the last 3 years are 1,672 in 2020, 2,666 in 2021 and 3,046 in 2022 to date.However, this data may include instances of the same driver passing both the Category C and CE tests. In addition, some of the drivers with HGV driving licence entitlement may be employed in other occupations such as the Armed Forces or Fire Service.

Electric Scooters: Regulation

Gavin Newlands: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has taken recent steps to prepare regulations for the (a) users and (b) manufacturers of private e-scooters.

Gavin Newlands: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to publish a public consultation on regulations for the (a) users and (b) manufacturers of private e-scooters.

Gavin Newlands: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department will consult the general public on regulations for private e-scooter use on UK roads concurrently with the introduction of the Transport Bill to Parliament.

Lucy Frazer: Government plans to take forward legislation that will create a new Low-speed Zero Emission Vehicle (LZEV) category when parliamentary time allows. The legislation would enable subsequent regulations to be made in respect of e-scooters. We are working to ensure any future regulations are effective and proportionate, however no decisions have been made on the details of the regulations for e-scooter users or the manufacturers of private e-scooters. The Department will consult, including through a public consultation which we plan to publish, before any new arrangements come into force.

Electric Scooters: Regulation

Matt Western: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to introduce legislative proposals on the regulation of e-scooters.

Lucy Frazer: Government plans to introduce legislation for micromobility when parliamentary time allows. The legislation would subsequently enable regulations to be made surrounding e-scooters. No decisions have been made on the details of the regulations for e-scooters and we will consult before any new arrangements come into force.

Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to take steps to amend the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation to help increase the competitiveness of hydrogen fuels against diesel for heavy goods vehicles and buses.

Lucy Frazer: Renewable Hydrogen has been eligible for reward under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) since 2019. In July we published guidance which broadened that support by enabling hydrogen producers to claim certificates by using power purchase agreements (PPA) to show the use of qualifying electricity. This will help bring down the cost of hydrogen for all transport users including heavy good vehicles and buses. In Spring 2023 we will publish a post implementation review of the RTFO 2018 amendments, which was when hydrogen support was introduced. This will investigate the effect of these amendments, informing the UK’s Low Carbon Fuels Strategy, which is in development

Eurostar

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has recently had discussions with the French Government on the operation of Eurostar.

Kevin Foster: The Government engages very regularly with French counterparts to discuss a range of issues related to the Channel Tunnel and international rail services, including Eurostar; and will continue to do so.

Freedom Pass

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people in (a) Romford and (b) Havering have a Freedom Pass.

Lucy Frazer: The Department for Transport does not hold this information. Transport in London is devolved and this includes concessionary travel. The Freedom Pass scheme is operated by London Councils on behalf of the thirty-three London boroughs.

Taxis

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the role played by taxi and private hire vehicle services in supporting connected communities in (a) rural areas, (b) towns, and (c) cities outside London with poor public transport links.

Lucy Frazer: Taxis and private hire vehicles have an important role in local transport networks across the country. In towns and cities, for example, they can provide an important "first mile-last mile" role, connecting people to transport hubs. In rural areas, where public transport and local facilities may be limited, taxis and PHVs can meet a range of transport needs. The Government expects local authorities to consider taxis and private hire vehicles as part of their local transport planning.

Chiltern Railways and Govia Thameslink Railway: Rolling Stock

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department agreed short lease premiums with rolling stock leasing companies as part of the national rail contracts agreed with (a) Chiltern Railway and (b) Govia Thameslink Railway.

Kevin Foster: Chiltern Railways and Govia Thameslink Railway were responsible for negotiating the terms of the leasing arrangements with the owners of the rolling stock deployed on their networks. The Department issued consent for the operators to enter into the respective contractual arrangements, the detail of which is commercially confidential.

Govia Thameslink Railway: Rolling Stock

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department agreed contracts for the leasing of rolling stock with (a) Porterbrook (b) Rock Rail and (c) Cross London Trains as part of the Govia Thameslink Railway National Rail Contract announced on 1 April 2022.

Kevin Foster: Govia Thameslink Railway Limited (GTR) were responsible for negotiating contracts in respect of the leasing of rolling stock. The Department provided consent for GTR to enter into these leases with the aforementioned rolling stock owners per the terms of GTR’s National Rail Contract.

Railways: Concessions

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will extend the criteria for eligibility for a Disabled Persons Railcard to include people who have mobility issues but are not in receipt of benefits.

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of making all blue badge holders eligible for the Disabled Persons Railcard; and for what reason they are not automatically eligible at the present time.

Kevin Foster: As per our Inclusive Transport Strategy commitment, the Department, alongside the Rail Delivery Group and the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee, is currently undertaking a review of the Disabled Persons Railcard. The review is considering the eligibility criteria and the options to verify entitlement.

Eurostar: Kent

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with representatives of Eurostar on the re-opening of Eurostar stations at (a) Ebbsfleet, and (b) Ashford.

Kevin Foster: My officials and predecessors have engaged with Eurostar directly on this matter, as well as Eurostar’s recovery more generally since 2020, and continue to do so. The Government wants to see the reinstatement of services at Ebbsfleet and Ashford as soon as reasonably possible and when it is commercially viable for the company to do so.

Department for Transport: List of Ministerial Responsibilities

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of when a list of ministerial responsibilities for her Department will be published.

Kevin Foster: The portfolio responsibilities for each Transport Minister are available on Gov.Uk.https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-transport

Airports: Fees and Charges

Sir Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of whether airport drop-off and parking fees represent value for money for airport users.

Sir Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the potential merits of introducing a cap on drop-off charges at UK airports.

Katherine Fletcher: The provision and charging of car parking at airports (including drop off and pick charges) is a matter for the airport operator as a commercial business to manage and justify. However, the Department for Transport expects car parking at airports to be managed appropriately and consumers treated fairly. The Private Parking Code of Practice has been temporarily withdrawn to review the decisions to introduce new levels of private parking charges and to ban additional fees that are currently added on top of the late or unpaid parking charge. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities continues to work with industry and consumer groups to ensure the Code comes into effect as quickly as possible.

Bridges: River Tees

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons his Department has not put a request from Tees Valley Combined Authority for a new crossing over the River Tees on its priority list.

Katherine Fletcher: The Growth Plan sets out infrastructure projects which will be accelerated, aiming to get the majority into construction or under contract by the end of 2023. The scale of development work required for a project of the scale of the Tees Crossing means that is it not in that scope, but may be included in future schemes

Bridges: River Tees

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the (a) viability and (b) potential merits of the proposal from the Tees Valley Combined authority for a new crossing over the River Tees.

Katherine Fletcher: My officials have been working with National Highways and TVCA in progressing the scheme development and to understand its wider potential merits, to allow me to make a balanced decisions against other priorities for roads funding. I understand that TVCA officials have appreciated the unique level of direct support National Highways and DfT have been providing to the TVCA team and that a final report is due by March 2023.

Motor Vehicles: Noise

Sara Britcliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress her Department has made on the trial of noise cameras for loud vehicles; and when police forces that have applied to trial that technology will be informed whether their application has been successful.

Katherine Fletcher: The Department has commenced research into the use of ‘noise cameras’ to determine their suitability for enforcement. Trials of the latest noise camera technology in controlled conditions on a test track have recently completed. Preparations for roadside trials are now being made, with an announcement expected

Northern Trains

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has undertaken an assessment of the quality of service provided by Northern Trains Limited since DOHL took on the operation of Northern services on 1 March 2020.

Kevin Foster: The Department uses a range of methods to assess the quality of service provided by Northern.Rail operators are required to meet targets for standards of service quality at stations, on trains and in the quality and timeliness of information provided to customers. These standards are regularly inspected via Service Quality Regimes and rail industry surveys.DfT and Northern have regular discussions about the performance against the standards and Northern take action as required to improve results. Northern regularly publish the results of these assessments on its website at:https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/about-us/customer/service-quality.

Avanti West Coast: Staff

Dr James Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an estimate of the number of days that Avanti staff worked on previously booked rest days between June and August 2022.

Kevin Foster: The Department does not hold this information across all staff grades at Avanti West Coast (AWC). On 30 July 2022, AWC experienced a near total cessation of drivers volunteering to work passenger trains on rest days. As noted by Avanti in its stakeholder bulletin of 8 August, it had regularly and reliably seen approximately 400 services a week worked by drivers on their rest day. This figure fell suddenly by 90 per cent. Daily driver rest day working has remained minimal since then.

Train Operating Companies: Staff

Dr James Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department holds data on how many and what proportion of staff have regularly worked on their rest days per quarter over the last three years in (a) each train operating company and (b) Avanti.

Kevin Foster: It is the responsibility of train operating companies to ensure they have adequate staffing to resource their operations.

Midland Main Line: Electrification

Jane Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of when the full electrification of the Midland Mainline will be complete.

Kevin Foster: The Integrated Rail Plan published in November 2021, set out the electrification of the Midland Mainline is planned to be completed around 2030 (subject to business case approvals).

Railways: Freight

Martin Vickers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to maximise opportunities for growing rail freight.

Kevin Foster: The Government remains committed to growing rail freight and unlocking the economic and environmental benefits rail freight can deliver.Between 2014-2019, the Government invested over £235m in the Strategic Freight Network (SFN) and further investments are being confirmed and announced through the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline (RNEP).

Railways: Females

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate she has made of the proportion of train drivers who are female.

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps her Department has taken to support rail operators to help increase the number of train drivers being recruited and trained.

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with rail operators on increasing the number of female train drivers.

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate has she made of the number of train drivers working on our rail network.

Kevin Foster: The Department for Transport holds a broad range of information about the rail network and has ongoing discussions with train operating companies (TOCs) on a range of workforce matters, including train drivers and train driver training. As the employer, TOCs are responsible for the recruitment, training and licensing of train drivers. The Department is committed to ensuring that the transport workforce better reflects our diverse society. For rail, this has meant that Emergency Recovery Measure Agreements and subsequent National Rail Contracts include requirements for TOCs to develop diversity and inclusion strategies. This includes reviewing their recruitment practices and collection of diversity data to encourage and support the promotion of a more diverse pool of candidates across the sector.

Department for Education

Schools: West Lancashire

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in West Lancashire constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Jonathan Gullis: The Department is preparing detailed analysis of the data collected for the Condition Data Collection (CDC) programme and plan to publish the details by the end of the year.The key, high-level findings of the CDC programme, were published in May 2021 in the report ‘Condition of School Buildings Survey – Key Findings’.The report is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/989912/Condition_of_School_Buildings_Survey_CDC1_-_key_findings_report.pdf.

Department for Education: Public Expenditure

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what representations he has made to the Chancellor of the Exchequer ahead of the fiscal event announced for 31 October 2022 on (a) his Department's capital funding, (b) the adequacy of funding for capital projects, including maintenance, in England's schools, (c) the adequacy of funding for capital projects, including maintenance, in England's further education colleges, (d) the adequacy of funding for capital projects, including maintenance, in England's universities and (e) the adequacy of funding for capital projects, including maintenance, for nurseries and other settings where childcare and early years education is provided; and if he will make a statement.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has had discussions in the last year prior to the fiscal event scheduled for the 31 October 2022 with (a) the Chancellor of the Exchequer and (b) the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on managing the potential risks posed by the condition of the schools estate in England due to the level of capital investment (i) made by the Government in the last twelve years and (ii) to which the Government is committed; and if he will make statement.

Jonathan Gullis: The Department engages regularly with HM Treasury and other relevant Departments on a number of matters, including capital investment across the education sector to improve the condition of the estate. This includes official level and ministerial level engagement where appropriate. The 2021 Spending Review announced a total of £19.4 billion of capital funding to support the education sector between 2022/23 and 2024/25, including £6 billion this financial year.Well-maintained, safe school buildings are a priority for the Government. The Department has allocated over £13 billion in capital funding since 2015, for improving the condition of the school estate, including maintained nurseries. In addition, the School Rebuilding Programme will transform 500 schools over the next decade, prioritising schools in poor condition, or with potential safety issues.Through the Further Education (FE) Capital Transformation Programme, the Department is investing £1.5 billion between 2020 and 2026 to address poor condition and upgrade the FE college estate. We have also provided the Office for Students with £450 million of Strategic Priorities Grant capital funding to distribute to higher education providers for financial years 2022/23 to 2024/25.

Schools: Solar Power

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, whether he has made an estimate of the current annual energy generation from photovoltaic panels in schools in England in megajoules.

Jonathan Gullis: The number of solar panels, recorded by surveyors as photovoltaic (PV) panels, in schools in England was collected as part of the Condition Data Programme (CDC). It was recorded that there were 175,634 solar panels in academy schools, 116,015 in maintained schools, and 4,504 in other schools.The Department has not estimated the annual energy generation from the photovoltaic panels installed on (a) academy, (b) maintained and (c) other schools in England as this will be a function of several local and systems specific characteristics, including but not limited to: location, orientation and efficiency.Responsible bodies can assess the solar generation from the installed panels through their display energy certificates or sub metering systems.

Schools: Bassetlaw

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in Bassetlaw constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in the Bury North constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in the Chingford and Woodford Green constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in Cities of London and Westminster constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in Derby North constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in Dover constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in the Burnley constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in Gedling constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in Hartlepool constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in the Hastings and Rye constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in Bishop Auckland constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in Erewash constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in Ipswich constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in Leigh constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in the Houghton & Sunderland South constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in Hendon constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in Milton Keynes South constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in Milton Keynes North constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in Norwich North constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in Penistone and Stocksbridge constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in Peterborough constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in Plymouth Moor View constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in Shipley constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in South Swindon constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in Southampton Itchen constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in Stoke-on-Trent Central constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in Stroud constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in Truro and Falmouth constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in Warrington South constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in Watford constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51633 on Schools: Solar Power, how many school buildings in York Outer constituency were inspected as part of the CDC Survey.

Jonathan Gullis: The Department is preparing detailed analysis of the data collected for the Condition Data Collection (CDC) programme and plan to publish the details by the end of the year.The key, high-level findings of the CDC programme, were published in May 2021 in the report ‘Condition of School Buildings Survey – Key Findings’.The report is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/989912/Condition_of_School_Buildings_Survey_CDC1_-_key_findings_report.pdf.

Apprentices: Older People

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has implemented apprenticeship schemes for people who are over the age of 50.

Andrea Jenkyns: Apprenticeships are available for everyone over the age of 16, from those starting their career to experienced workers looking to upskill or retrain in a new profession. The department offers high quality apprenticeship routes into more than 650 occupations from entry level to expert roles. Those interested can browse the opportunities available to them here: https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship.

Higher Education: Finance

Matt Western: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to re-allocate the £5 million uplift to the Strategic Priorities Grant which his predecessor removed on 31 March 2022.

Andrea Jenkyns: The Strategic Priorities Grant budget is £1,397 million for the 2022/23 financial year, which is 5% higher than last year. The March 2022 guidance to the Office for Students confirms universities will continue to be able to support students in hardship through use of the Student Premium, for which up to £261 million is available in the 2022/23 academic year. Additional student hardship funding of £85 million in the 2020/21 academic year and £5 million in the 2021/22 academic year were made in the context of the exceptional circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. The department will continue to keep the situation under review, and we do not anticipate the need for further hardship support to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important that higher education providers continue to factor in contingency as part of their forward planning. Universities already have their own hardship funds, and we expect providers to continue to support students most in need.

T-levels

Mr Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many students were enrolled on a T level in the (a) 2020-21, (b) 2021-22 and (c) 2022-23 academic years.

Andrea Jenkyns: 1,241 students enrolled on a T Level in 2020. The department published the number of students that began a T Level in 2021, which was approximately 5,450. Further information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/t-level-action-plan. The department will publish an updated figure for 2021 enrolments, along with initial figures for 2022 enrolments in the 2022 Action Plan, which will be published in due course.

Office for Students

Matt Western: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has had discussions with the Office for Students on the potential merits of designating a new quality body.

Andrea Jenkyns: The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education has confirmed that it wishes to step down from the Designated Quality Body role at the end of March 2023. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education will receive advice on future arrangements from officials and the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS will engage with the sector ahead of any final decision being made and will issue further information to providers in due course.

Office for Students: Codes of Practice

Matt Western: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the Office for Students’ compliance with the Regulators’ Code.

Andrea Jenkyns: The Office for Students (OfS) has a duty under the Higher Education and Research Act 2017 to have regard to being transparent, accountable, proportionate, and consistent, in line with the Regulators’ Code. The OfS performance, including its engagement, transparency and approach to regulation, as well as a range of other topics are discussed regularly by officials in the department and the OfS.

Office for Students

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Government's proposals to reduce the number of government agencies, what discussions he has had with (a) HM Treasury and (b) Office for Students on that body's future (i) operation and (ii) budget; and if he will make a statement.

Andrea Jenkyns: There have been no discussions between my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and His Majesty's Treasury or the Office for Students (OfS) in regards the future of the OfS. The OfS is funded primarily through registration fees charged to registered higher education providers. The OfS budget requirements are regularly reviewed by officials.

Children: Protection

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 21 September 2022 to Question 48396 on Hong Kong: Foreign Nationals, where in (a) his Department's guidance entitled Keeping children safe in education 2022, published on 1 September 2022, and (b) other guidance it is stated that employers are sometimes required to obtain Certificates of No Criminal Conviction; and whether this requirement is (i) mandatory, (ii) recommended or (iii) suggested.

Jonathan Gullis: Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE) is statutory guidance that all schools and colleges must consider when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Paragraphs 280-284 of this guidance set out the checks that apply to individuals who have lived or worked outside the UK.The Department uses the terms “must” and “should” throughout this guidance. Where the term “must” is used, the person in question is legally required to do something, and where the term “should” is used, the advice set out should be followed unless there is good reason not to.KCISE makes clear that individuals who have lived or worked outside the UK must undergo the same checks as all other staff in schools or colleges. In addition, that schools and colleges must make any ‘further checks’ they think appropriate so that any relevant events that occurred outside the UK can be considered.KCSIE also provides information on what these ‘further checks’ could include. Where such information is not available, KCSIE is clear that schools and colleges should seek alternative methods of checking suitability and undertake a risk assessment that supports informed decision making on whether to proceed with the appointment.Individuals seeking employment in a school or college in England are eligible and able to obtain Certificates of No Criminal Conviction from Hong Kong, which must be endorsed by a letter from a recognised education body, such as a school or college.

British Students Abroad: Ukraine

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support is being given to British nationals studying at universities in Ukraine until the Russian invasion of Ukraine earlier in 2022, who have not been able to complete their degree courses.

Andrea Jenkyns: Universities in Ukraine are striving to maintain the education of their students under extremely challenging conditions. This includes through the provision of online distance learning for students enrolled at Ukrainian universities, but who now live in another country, including in the UK. Students should speak with their education provider in Ukraine to understand what support is available to them to continue their studies, including through the UK twinning programme, which provides support to Ukrainian providers by establishing partnerships with universities in the UK. Students may also wish to explore their options with providers in the UK and the department encourages them to speak with prospective providers to see what options are available to them. Institutions in England have been urged to consider students’ circumstances sensitively and show as much flexibility as possible.

Office for Students

Matt Western: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance he has issued to the Office for Students on the operation of their enforcement team.

Andrea Jenkyns: All guidance issued by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education to the Office for Students is published on its website. This can be accessed at: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/regulation/guidance-from-government/.

Oak National Academy: Advertising

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September to Question 51615 on Oak National Academy: Finance and with reference to the advertising campaign for Oak National Academy Twitter, (a) how much money from the public purse is being spent on that advertising campaign, (b) when that campaign commenced and (c) how long that campaign will continue for.

Kelly Tolhurst: Oak National Academy will continue to work with teachers across the country, giving them and their pupils access to high-quality digital curriculum resources which are free, optional, and adaptable. These optional resources will be available across the UK, helping teachers deliver a high-quality curriculum.Part of Oak National Academy’s remit is to support teachers and schools to understand and make best use of the resources they make available. One of the ways it does this is through targeted promotion towards teachers, including via Twitter. This is ongoing activity, and from 1 September is funded through Oak National Academy’s overall budget.

Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Government's proposals to reduce the number of government agencies, what discussions he has had with (a) HM Treasury and (b) the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education on that body's future (i) operation and (ii) budget; and if he will make a statement.

Andrea Jenkyns: The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) plays an important role in developing high quality apprenticeships and technical qualifications that equip people for skilled occupations and supports us in boosting economic activity. The department values the partnership with IfATE and have had no discussions regarding the future of the arm’s length body. Our strategic guidance, published in April, provides an indication of what IfATE is expected to achieve by the 2024/25 financial year: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1072633/Strategic_Guidance_to_the_Institute_for_Apprenticeships_and_Technical_Education_2022-2023_.pdf.

CITB

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education,  with reference to the Government's proposals to reduce the number of government agencies, what discussions he has had with (a) HM Treasury and (b) the Construction Industry Training Board on that body's future (i) operation and (ii) budget; and if he will make a statement.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education,  with reference to the Government's proposals to reduce the number of government agencies, what discussions he has had with (a) HM Treasury and (b) the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board on that body's future (i) operation and (ii) budget; and if he will make a statement.

Andrea Jenkyns: The mechanism for considering the status and structure of the Construction Industry Training Board and the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board is the forthcoming public bodies review of the Industry Training Boards. The review of the Industry Training Boards is anticipated to commence in the 2023/24 financial year. It is usual practice for such reviews to engage with His Majesty's Treasury and other relevant government departments.

Oak National Academy

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education,  with reference to the Government's proposals to reduce the number of government agencies, what discussions he has had with (a) HM Treasury and (b) Oak National Academy on that body's future (i) operation and (ii) budget; and if he will make a statement.

Kelly Tolhurst: The department has discussed Oak National Academy’s future operations and budget with HM Treasury (HMT) and Oak National Academy itself. We have produced a business case covering these areas, which has been shared with HMT and will be published shortly. The Oak National Academy Framework Document and Articles of Association were also shared with HMT ahead of being finalised.

Education and Skills Funding Agency

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Government's proposals to reduce the number of government agencies, what discussions he has had with (a) HM Treasury and (b) the Educations and Skills Funding Agency on that body's future (i) operation and (ii) budget; and if he will make a statement.

Andrea Jenkyns: The department, in collaboration with an independent reviewer, Sir David Bell KCB DL, conducted a review of the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), which concluded in January 2022. The review aligned with Cabinet Office guidance for the review of public bodies and assessed ESFA’s operations to ensure it remains effective, efficient, and aligned to government priorities. Given the criticality of ESFA’s technical operations of managing and delivering over £60 billion in funding to the sector, the review recommended ESFA continue to remain an arm’s length body (ALB), but to refocus on its core funding delivery role. The review also recommended that all policy related functions were moved back into the department. The review’s recommendations led to amendments to ESFA’s remit, size, and budgets from 1 April 2022, allowing for increased efficiency and effectiveness of the agency. ESFA remains a critical ALB for the department, managing and delivering core funding to the sector.

Students: Cost of Living

Matt Western: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has made an assessment of the impact of the rising cost of living on university student drop-out rates.

Matt Western: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has conducted an equalities analysis of the potential impact of the rising cost of living on students.

Matt Western: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to spend the £445,000 ringfenced hardship funding returned to the Department for Education from the Office for Students due to underspending.

Andrea Jenkyns: The department has confirmed in guidance to the Office for Students (OfS) on funding for the 2022/23 financial year, that universities will continue to be able to support students struggling financially through their own hardship funds and the student premium, for which up to £261 million is available for the 2022/23 academic year.The department has also worked closely with the OfS to clarify that providers in England can draw upon this funding now, to support disadvantaged students impacted by cost-of-living pressures.Maximum tuition fees for the 2022/23 academic year, for standard full-time courses, are frozen at £9,250 and will remain frozen in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years. By 2024/25, maximum fees will have been frozen for seven years. As well as reducing debt levels for students, the continued fee freeze will help to ensure that the higher education system remains sustainable while also promoting greater efficiency at providers.The Energy Price Guarantee announced on 8 September will save the average household at least £1,000 a year based on current energy prices from October and this is in addition to the £400 energy bills discount for all households. Students who buy their energy from a domestic supplier are eligible for the energy bills discount.As part of the package of support for rising energy bills, the government is also giving a council tax rebate payment of £150 to households that were living in a property in council tax bands A to D as their main home on 1 April 2022. This includes full-time students that do not live in student halls or in property that is not considered a House in Multiple Occupation for council tax purposes.

Student Loans Company

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education,  with reference to the Government's proposals to reduce the number of government agencies, what discussions he has had with (a) HM Treasury and (b) the Student Loans Company on that body's future (i) operation and (ii) budget; and if he will make a statement.

Andrea Jenkyns: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has not had any discussions with His Majesty's Treasury or the Student Loans Company (SLC) regarding the government's proposals to reduce the number of government agencies. Arm’s length bodies, including the SLC, are an integral part of the department, and their funding was set out in the current Spending Review 2021, which is not due to be reviewed again until 2024.

Foster Care: British Nationals Abroad

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many connected persons approved as foster carers received fostering allowance for children living overseas from an English local authority in 2021.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many connected persons approved as foster carers received means-tested financial allowance through legal orders for children living overseas from an English local authority in 2021.

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many people were in receipt of the special guardianship allowance for children overseas from an English local authority in 2021.

Kelly Tolhurst: The department does not hold data on the number of looked after children who have been placed overseas specifically with family members either on a kinship foster placement or on a special guardianship order, therefore we do not hold data on the allowances these carers receive. Nor does the department collect information on the number of looked after children who have family members overseas with whom they could be safely placed.However, the department can provide figures using a wider definition of children placed overseas with a relative or friend. These figures can be found in the table attached.59890_59891_59929 table (pdf, 59.7KB)

Office for Students: Codes of Practice

Matt Western: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the Office for Students’ compliance with the Cabinet Office’s Code of Conduct.

Andrea Jenkyns: The Cabinet Office’s Code of Conduct for Board Members sets out the conduct expected of board members of public bodies such as the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS also has its own Code of Conduct for its board members. As the Code of Conduct applies to board members, rather than the OfS itself, no assessment of the OfS is required or appropriate.

Oak National Academy: Advertising

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51615 on Oak National Academy: Finance, whether the advertising campaign for Oak National Academy, currently on Twitter is funded from the £9.8 million referred to in that answer or another source.

Kelly Tolhurst: From 1 September, all Oak National Academy’s activity, including advertising, is covered by the funding provided by the department. For the period prior to this, activity was funded through a combination of grant funding from the department, and philanthropic donations.

Schools: Inspections

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Answer of 5 January 2022 to Question 92902 on Schools: Inspections, if he will ask Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector to update this information to include data to 1 October 2022; and if he will place a copy in the Libraries of both Houses.

Jonathan Gullis: This is a matter for His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman. I have asked her to write to the hon. Member directly and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Employment: Children

James Daly: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to allow 16 year olds to work more than two hours on a Sunday.

Jonathan Gullis: The Government aims to allow children to take up opportunities for suitable part-time work, whilst ensuring that proportionate safeguards are in place so that their education, health, and wellbeing are not jeopardised.The Department wants to ensure that the correct balance between enabling children to benefit from employment opportunities and protecting educational attainment is achieved. Based on the evidence we have, the current limits on hours achieve this. The Department will continue to keep this under review.

Free School Meals

Zarah Sultana: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the increased rate of inflation and rising food prices, (a) on what basis the rate paid to schools for providing free school meals is calculated, (b) when she next plans to review that rate, (c) what recent assessment she has made of the impact of the increased price of food on (i) the ability of schools to provide free school meals and (ii) overall school budgets, (d) if she will make it her policy to increase the rate in line with inflation and (d) if she will make it her policy to extend free school meal provision to all pupils in order to help prevent a rise in food poverty.

Kelly Tolhurst: Schools pay for the provision of free school meals (FSM) from their core funding allocations. Overall, core schools funding, including funding for both mainstream schools and high needs, is increasing by £4 billion in 2022/23 compared to the previous year, representing a 7% increase in cash terms per pupil.The core allocations schools attract through the national funding formula (NFF) include funding in respect of the FSM factor. The FSM factor is intended to broadly reflect the costs schools face in providing school meals. Following extensive consultation when the NFF was first introduced, schools attracted £440 per pupil through the FSM factor in 2018/19 and 2019/20.Each year, the department has set the NFF factor values to be used in the forthcoming funding year. Since the introduction of the NFF, the per pupil FSM rate has increased in line with forecast inflation in every year, as measured by the latest GDP deflator at the time.The FSM factor is worth £470 per eligible pupil in 2022/23. This will increase to £480 in 2023/24. The factor values for each year are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-funding-formula-for-schools-and-high-needs. In reviewing future FSM rates, many factors will be taken into consideration, including cost of living pressures and inflation.The department also spends around £600 million on Universal Infant Free School Meals each year. The per meal rate has been increased from £2.34 to £2.41, and backdated to 1 April 2022, in recognition of increased costs.The department continues to monitor the situation surrounding the rising cost of living whilst working with other government departments on support surrounding this issue. The department thinks it is right that provision is aimed at supporting the most disadvantaged, those out of work or on the lowest incomes. We do not have any plans to extend universal provision, but we will continue to review FSM eligibility to ensure that these meals are supporting those who most need them.

Classroom Assistants

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make an estimate of the number of teaching assistants employed in schools in (a) England and (b) each region in each year since 2010.

Jonathan Gullis: Information on the school workforce in England and each region, including the number of teaching assistants, is published in the annual ‘School Workforce in England’ national statistic at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.As of November 2021 (the latest information available), there were 275,812 full-time equivalent teaching assistants in state-funded schools in England which is the highest on record. This represents an increase of 54,331 (24.5%) from 221,481 in the 2011/12 academic year, the first year that figures are available for.Regional figures and a full time series can be found at the following link: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/a22f98f7-9e51-4d1f-85d8-7a211ff01816.

Children's Commissioner for England

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education,  with reference to the Government's proposals to reduce the number of government agencies, what discussions he has had with (a) HM Treasury and (b) the Office of the Children's Commissioner on that body's future (i) operation and (ii) budget; and if he will make a statement.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education,  with reference to the Government's proposals to reduce the number of government agencies, what discussions he has had with (a) HM Treasury and (b) the Children's Commission on the Commissioner's future (i) operation and (ii) budget; and if he will make a statement.

Kelly Tolhurst: The Office of the Children’s Commissioner plays a vital role in promoting and protecting the rights of children in England, ensuring that the views of the most vulnerable children are heard. The department has not had any discussions with His Majesty’s Treasury or the Office of the Children’s Commissioner on future operation and budget relating to the Office. The department has regular, routine discussions with the Office of the Children’s Commissioner about its operations and budget, as part of regular assurance processes with non-departmental public bodies.

Pupils: Sanitary Protection

Munira Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of state (a) schools and (b) colleges placed an order with his Department's period product scheme in each year since that scheme was introduced.

Kelly Tolhurst: By the end of 2020, 76% (2,531) of secondary schools and 79% (338) of post-16 organisations had used the scheme at least once. These organisations have older students and therefore are more likely to have a higher proportion of students in scope. In primary schools, 41% (6,189) had used the scheme at least once.In 2021 the number of participating schools/organisations increased to 81% (2,710) of secondary schools 84% (349) of colleges, and 42% (6,377) of primary schools.Overall, during the first two years of the scheme 94% of secondary schools, 90% of colleges, and 61% of primary schools have accessed the scheme at least once.Data from January 2022 to July 2022 is due to be published by the department later this month.

Standards and Testing Agency

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education,  with reference to the Government's proposals to reduce the number of government agencies, what discussions he has had with (a) HM Treasury and (b) the Standards and Testing Agency on that body's future (i) operation and (ii) budget; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan Gullis: The Department has not entered into any recent discussions with HM Treasury on The Standards and Testing Agency’s (STA) future operation and budget. The Department has regular, routine discussions with STA about its operations and budget as part of regular assurance processes with its executive agencies.

Schools: Trees

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he collects statistics on the number of trees (a) planted and (b) removed each year on land owned by schools in England.

Jonathan Gullis: The Department does not currently collect data on the number of trees planted and felled on school grounds.The Department is committed to launching a new National Education Nature Park which will help education providers improve their biodiversity, engage children and young people in nature and improve their scientific and digital skills. Through the Park’s digital services, delivered by partnering with a prestigious provider, there will be the opportunity to engage in biodiversity mapping, including the mapping of trees on site, alongside wider biodiversity data. This will enable the Department to centrally collate data that will show how the biodiversity on the education estate is improving. The Department expects to announce the key providers we will be working with and the roll out strategy in the near future.Furthermore, by 2025 we will aim to introduce a natural history GCSE, giving young people a further opportunity to engage with and develop a deeper knowledge and understanding of the natural world, including the importance of species of trees in ecosystems.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Utilities: Repairs and Maintenance

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the compensation processes for businesses affected by large scale utility works.

Graham Stuart: There are schemes which provide compensation to businesses affected by utility works. The Government has made no recent assessment of these schemes.

Energy Supply: Households

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department has made of the number of households with multiple energy suppliers.

Graham Stuart: The Department have not made an estimation. Energy customers are free to choose a different supplier for each meter in their household.

Animal Experiments

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing funding to support Helpathon initiatives consisting of collaborative workshops to support biomedical researchers identify animal-free research methods.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The Government actively supports and funds the development and dissemination of techniques that replace, reduce, and refine the use of animals in research (the 3Rs).  This is achieved primarily through funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) for the National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs), which works nationally and internationally to drive the uptake of 3Rs technologies and ensure that advances in the 3Rs are reflected in policy, practice, and regulations on animal research. Since the NC3Rs was launched in 2004, it has committed £100 million in research to develop 3Rs technologies and its scientific staff have led research projects, in collaboration with academic and industry partners, that have been used to inform changes in policy and regulations on the use of animals in research.

Animal Experiments

Kim Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will take steps to accelerate the replacement of animal experiments with techniques such as the use of organ-on-a-chip technology and computer modelling.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The Government actively supports and funds the development and dissemination of techniques that replace, reduce, and refine the use of animals in research (the 3Rs).  This is achieved primarily through funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) for the National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs), which works nationally and internationally to drive the uptake of 3Rs technologies and ensure that advances in the 3Rs are reflected in policy, practice, and regulations on animal research. Since the NC3Rs was launched in 2004, it has committed £100 million in research to develop 3Rs technologies. In addition to funding the NC3Rs, UKRI also funds a portfolio of research projects involving humans, human materials, animal models, and non-animal technologies. The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and NC3Rs have recently launched a £4 million joint funding call focussed on supporting next generation non-animal technologies, such as organ-on-a-chip and computer modelling, to work towards providing more reliable and applicable alternatives to reduce the use of animals in research.

Timber: Drax Power Station

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with his US counterpart on the fines levied on Drax as part of their wood pellet operations, which supplies pellets for Drax's Power plant.

Graham Stuart: My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not met with his US counterpart to discuss this issue specifically. UK Government officials continue to liaise with their US counterparts on biomass sourcing from the US, including on the regulatory requirements wood pellet producers are required to adhere to and any associated issues.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Boilers

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will take steps to ban (a) gas boilers, (b) other direct emissions boilers that emit greenhouse gases as defined under the Climate Change Act 2008 and (c) emissions of nitrogen oxides from boilers.

Graham Stuart: The Heat and Buildings Strategy set a framework to support a gradual transition to low-carbon heating, including setting an aim to phase out the installation of new and replacement natural gas boilers by 2035.The Government has consulted on phasing out the installation of fossil fuel boilers off the gas grid in England and will respond in due courseThe Government is considering the case for tighter emissions standards for medium combustion plant, which will include nitrogen oxides emitted from industrial boilers. The Government is continuing to assess the evidence, develop policy options and will consult in due course.

Energy Bills Rebate

Ronnie Cowan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the £100 payment to support people who are not served by the gas grid with their energy bills will be given to people who receive energy through their landlord's windmill.

Graham Stuart: The Government will provide an additional payment of £100 to households across the UK who are not able to receive support for their heating costs through the Energy Price Guarantee. For those who do not have a contract with an electricity supplier this will be delivered through a discretionary fund. In addition, the Energy Prices Bill introduced on 12th October includes the provision to require landlords to pass benefits they receive from energy price support, as appropriate, onto end users. Further details of the requirements under this legislation will be set out in regulations.

Small Businesses: Carbon Emissions

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a scheme to allow small businesses to receive financial support to part fund improvements to their business that would contribute to reducing carbon emissions.

Graham Stuart: Support is available to businesses to reduce their carbon emissions and energy bills through the Government's Climate Change Agreements Scheme and the £289m Industrial Energy Transformation Fund. There are also a number of local advice and support schemes that businesses can apply to here: https://www.gov.uk/business-finance-support.

Heating: Costs

Andrew Bowie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he is taking steps to provide support with heating costs for households that use wood pellets for heating in the context of rises in the cost of wood pellets.

Graham Stuart: The Alternative Fuel Payment will provide a one-off payment to UK households that use alternative fuels for heating. This will come in addition to the £400 provided by the Energy Bills Support Scheme, and a further £800 of one-off support provided to eight million of the most vulnerable households to help with the cost of living. The Government will continue to monitor the prices of alternative fuels and will consider further intervention if required to protect UK households from extraordinary fuel prices.

Energy: Standing Charges

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions he had with representatives of the energy sector on reducing standing charges.

Graham Stuart: BEIS Ministers have regular discussions with representatives of the energy sector on a range of energy issues, including standing charges. Standing charges are a commercial matter for individual suppliers, which reflects the necessary costs to provide and maintain a live supply to a customer’s premises. Ofgem limits standing charges under the price cap which they set and ensure millions of households pay a fair price for their energy. Ofgem’s review of standing charges concluded that retaining the current methodology would protect users with greater energy needs, such as disabled users and users with electric heating in areas off the gas grid.

Fuel Oil: Prices

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to make provision to support households who use oil heating and who will be unable to afford to heat their homes in winter with the aid of financial support already announced.

Graham Stuart: The Alternative Fuel Payment will provide a one-off payment to UK households that use alternative fuels for heating, such as heating oil. This will come in addition to the £400 provided by the Energy Bills Support Scheme and the electricity component of the Energy Price Guarantee. The Government is also providing £800 of one-off support to eight million of the most vulnerable households to help with the cost of living.

Energy Bills Rebate

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what comparative assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the (a) Energy Price Guarantee for on-grid and (b) £100 for off-grid households on those households; and on what basis his Department determined the level of support for off-grid households.

Graham Stuart: The Energy Price Guarantee and Alternative Fuel Payment aim to provide equivalent levels of support to all households. The price of heating oil is estimated to have risen by around 147% between January 2022 to October 2022. A payment of £100 will effectively limit the increase in heating costs to 130%, in line with the benefit offered by the Energy Price Guarantee for customers on mains gas.

Energy Bills Rebate

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how the £100 payment to support households who are off-grid with the energy bills will be paid to those households.

Graham Stuart: Households in Great Britain eligible for these payments will receive £100 as a credit on their electricity bill this winter. Households that are eligible for but do not receive Alternative Fuel Payment or the £100 heat network payment, because they do not have a relationship with an electricity supplier for example, will receive the £100 via the Alternative Fuel Payment Alternative Fund, which will be provided by a designated body. The Government will confirm details of the AFP Alternative Fund shortly.

Energy Price Guarantee

Anthony Mangnall: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department plans to publish further information on the operation of the Energy Price Guarantee for (a) single fuel and (b) other customers.

Graham Stuart: The Government is engaging with energy suppliers, industry payment bodies, and Ofgem to ensure that suppliers are accurately compensated for their actual energy usage during the Energy Price Guarantee’s reconciliation period. The Government has considered which data flows will most accurately reflect total energy use and will publish more details in due course.

Energy: Prices

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Energy Price Guarantee announced on 8 September 2022, what steps he plans to take to ensure that amounts paid to energy suppliers accurately reflect actual energy use for each relevant period.

Graham Stuart: The Government is engaging with energy suppliers, industry payment bodies, and Ofgem to ensure that suppliers are accurately compensated for their actual energy usage during the Energy Price Guarantee’s reconciliation period. The Government has considered which data flows will most accurately reflect total energy use and will publish more details in due course.

Renewable Energy

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of decoupling the cost of electricity using renewables from the wholesale price of gas.

Graham Stuart: The recently introduced Energy Prices Bill includes powers to help address the link between high global gas prices and the cost of low-carbon electricity, allowing consumers to benefit from the ‘green dividend’ of low-priced clean energy. The Government has launched the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements. It considers a range of enduring reforms, including ways of increasing investment in low-carbon capacity, making gas-fired generation the price-setter for electricity less often, and reforms to the wholesale market so volatile gas prices do not set the price of cheaper renewables, which could have the effect of decoupling gas and electricity prices.

Housing: Insulation

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what support his Department will provide to help insulate uninsulated homes in the UK.

Graham Stuart: The Government provides support to households to improve their energy efficiency. The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, Home Upgrade Grant, and Local Authority Delivery schemes will deliver energy efficiency upgrades to around half a million homes. The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) has also been extended until March 2026 at an increased value of £1 billion per year.

STEP Programme

Lee Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent estimate he has made of the number of jobs that will be created by the Step Fusion Project in Nottinghamshire.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) programme is currently expected to create over 3000 jobs during the construction phase in the 2030s at the site in West Burton in Nottinghamshire, as well as support thousands of high-skilled jobs in the UK’s fusion supply chain. These estimates will be refined over the coming years as the programme progresses.

Energy: Billing

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent estimate his Department has made of the potential difference between the average energy bill of (a) a heat network customer and (b) the national average energy bill in the next 12 months.

Graham Stuart: The Government believes that consumers living in a typical building on a heat network benefiting from the Energy Bill Relief Scheme will still be paying more per year for their heating than comparable domestic metered gas consumers benefiting from the Energy Price Guarantee. For an average property the Government estimated a £60 differential, but it is important to note that there is a large variation in bills due to the wide range of technologies and efficiencies of heat networks. The Government will provide a £100 payment this winter to compensate heat network domestic users for these higher costs of heating, ensuring they receive equivalent support to other domestic consumers.

Scottish Limited Partnerships

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what (a) the value, and (b) number of fines levied have been levied against Scottish Limited Partnerships for failing to register a Person of Significant Control in each month since the relevant regulations came into force.

Dean Russell: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

District Heating: Energy Price Guarantee

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what guidance his Department has provided for people on communal heating systems who may be hosting refuges on the energy price guarantee.

Graham Stuart: The Government announced that it will effectively cap the price of heat sold by communal and district heat networks through the Energy Bill Relief Scheme this winter by reducing the commercial prices of energy used by these schemes. Those who sponsor refugees have the option to receive a monthly payment of £350 for up to 12 months, paid in arrears, for as long as you are hosting your guests and provided that the accommodation provided is of a suitable standard. Hosts will be eligible for the first monthly payment once the local council has visited to check the standard of the accommodation.

Charities: Energy Price Guarantee

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if the Government will provide specific advice to small charities on the effect of the energy price guarantee on those organisations.

Graham Stuart: The Government understands the pressure charities and other voluntary organisations are facing with their energy bills, which is why immediate action has been taken to support them over the winter. The details of the Energy Bill Relief Scheme were announced on 21 September 2022, initially running for 6 months covering energy use from 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023. Non-domestic customers, including charities do not need to take action or apply to the scheme as support will automatically be applied to eligible customer bills. Suppliers will inform eligible customers about the amount of discount being applied as appropriate.

Natural Gas: Exploration

Beth Winter: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will undertake analysis of the potential impact of increased domestic gas exploration and extraction in the North Sea on achievement of UK net zero carbon emissions reduction targets.

Beth Winter: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the compatibility of potential increased gas exploration and extraction in the North Sea with (a) the UK's Nationally Determined Contribution and (b) the Government's Net Zero Strategy carbon emissions reduction timetable.

Graham Stuart: UK gas production has been declining for some years, and the UK is likely to be a net importer of gas to 2050. New exploration is part of delivering an orderly and net zero compliant management of that decline. Gas produced from the North Sea has a lower global emissions footprint than imported LNG. In the North Sea Transition deal the UK’s offshore sector further committed to 50% production emission reductions by 2030. The Government's Net Zero Strategy sets out how that target is consistent with the UK meeting its Nationally Determined Contribution and Carbon Budgets.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to his Department’s publication of spending over £500 with an electronic purchasing card, what the (a) purpose of, (b) location of and (c) guest list was for the event for which Spiers Salads was paid £5,594.13 on 23 December 2020.

Dean Russell: The payment to Spiers Salads was for the supply of food for one week for the BEIS Response Team in 1 Victoria Street during lockdown. Payment was made by GPC card as all our usual suppliers had shut at short notice when London entered tier 4 restrictions.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to his Department’s publication of spending over £500 with an electronic purchasing card, (a) for the accommodation of which individuals was (i) £1,989 paid to B.O.G. Hotel in Colombia on 13 and 23 March 2022, (ii) £661.38 paid to Antigua Yacht Club Marina on 13 May 2022, and (iii) £931.24 paid to Renaissance Hotel in Chicago on 25 May 2022, and (b) in each case, what was the purpose of their visit.

Dean Russell: The majority of BEIS hotels are booked through the Department’s corporate travel provider. In each of these cases, the bookings were organised by the hosting organisation with hotels chosen based on security, location, and available preferential rates. (i) Government officials travelled to Colombia to take part in international discussions on climate change; (ii) Government officials travelled to Antigua to attend a UN-led Green Climate Fund meeting; (iii) one Government official attended the Ernst and Young Innovation Realised event.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to his Department’s publication of spending over £500 with an electronic purchasing card, for what products was Park Retail Ltd. paid £398,716.16 from March 2021 to March 2022; which individuals were the end recipients of these products; and who was responsible for paying any tax due on these products as benefits in kind.

Dean Russell: Park Retail Ltd supply non-cash award vouchers to the Department. These vouchers support BEIS’s performance management reward structure and recipients are BEIS staff at all pay grades. Tax on vouchers given to BEIS employees is paid by BEIS.

Flowers and Plants: Imports

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the extent to which consumers are able to access adequate information on the country of origin of flowers and plants they purchase in supermarkets.

Dean Russell: No specific assessment has been made. Aside from certain products (e.g. food), there is no mandatory requirement to label goods with an indication of their country of origin for the majority of consumer products. The government encourages traders to include helpful labelling on a voluntary basis, particularly where this may be in the best interests of the consumer or represents a unique selling point for the business, so long as the additional information is true and not misleading as required by the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPRs). If consumers believe that the trader is not being truthful, they should report the matter in the first instance to the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133 (www.citizensadvice.org.uk/).

Business: Blackpool

Scott Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much funding was provided to businesses in Blackpool during the covid-19 outbreak through government-backed business loans.

Dean Russell: The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) and the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) were delivered by the British Business Bank (BBB) through commercial lenders. These schemes closed to new applications on 31 March 2021. A breakdown of loans offered through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) and the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) by constituency, borough and regional area are available for download from the British Business Bank website. Regional breakdowns of loans offered through the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) are not published due to data protection and commercial considerations.

Energy Bills Rebate: Park Homes

David Warburton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that households living in park homes who do not directly deal with an energy supplier have prompt access to the Energy Bills Support Scheme.

Graham Stuart: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member for St Albans on  22nd September to Question 48498.

Business: Blackpool

Scott Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the cost to the public purse was of funding provided to businesses in Blackpool during the covid-19 outbreak through the (a) Retail, Hospitality & Leisure Grant Fund, (b) Small Business Grant Fund and (c) Local Authority Discretionary Grant Fund.

Scott Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the cost to the public purse was of funding provided to businesses in Blackpool during the covid-19 pandemic through the (a) Local Restrictions Support Grant, (b) Additional Restrictions Grant, (c) Christmas Support Payment and (d) Omicron Hospitality & Leisure Grant.

Dean Russell: The figures below display the value of Covid-19 grants paid by Blackpool Council to small and medium businesses in their local area. Small Business Grant Fund and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund£45,005,000Local Authority Discretionary Grant Fund£2,422,000Local Restrictions Support Grant£32,032,283Additional Restrictions Grant£4,668,663Christmas Support Payment£106,000Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant£3,951,688 A full breakdown of grant funding allocated to, and distributed by, each Local Authority, is available here.

Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to reimburse the complex cases in the Post Office Horizon compensation scheme announced in June 2022.

Dean Russell: The Department has made provision of £19.5 million for interim payments to members of the GLO who are eligible. All but 75 of these payments had been made; over 60 relate to complex cases, notably bankrupt or recently deceased claimants. The Department has been working with the Insolvency Service to establish the best way of ensuring that each postmaster receives as much of their interim payment as possible. The Department continues to strive to ensure that interim payments are made as soon as possible to all eligible postmasters.

Odey Asset Management

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions he has with Odey Asset Management in 2022.

Dean Russell: Ministers regularly meet with external stakeholders. Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/beis-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings. The latest published data covers April to June 2022, further data will be published in due course.

Small Businesses: Newport West

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on proposals to support small businesses in Newport West constituency.

Dean Russell: BEIS works regularly with the Welsh Government on a range of issues, including support for business. Although many of the levers are devolved, the UK Government has acted to protect Welsh businesses from rising energy bills this winter, through the Energy Bill Relief Scheme. The Government’s Growth Plan cuts taxes and energy bills for businesses. The Plan will drive more private sector investment and cut red tape. The Start Up Loans Company, part of the Government-owned British Business Bank, provides support to new entrepreneurs. Since the Start Up Loans programme was launched in 2012, it has provided 161 loans to businesses in Newport West, totalling £1,612,340.

Conditions of Employment: Enforcement

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 21 September 2022 to Question 45829 on Conditions of Employment: Enforcement, what his planned timetable is for bringing forward these legislative proposals.

Dean Russell: The creation of a single enforcement body will be a significant undertaking which requires primary legislation. No decision has been taken on timing.

STARYNX LP

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, on what basis the registered business address of STARYNX LP (LP022561) was amended to a Companies House default address by the Companies House Registrar.

Dean Russell: The Registrar of Companies has no legislative power to move the principal place of business of a Limited Partnership to the Companies House default address. The address for Starnyx LP was changed by the Registrar in error. The Registrar is now urgently exploring options with the relevant parties to remedy the situation. Whilst the Registrar is unable to do this now, the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill, which was introduced to Parliament on 22 September 2022, proposes changes to provide the Registrar with a power to move the registered office of a Limited Partnership to the Companies House default address.

Companies: Staff

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many businesses in the UK have between 250 and 500 employees.

Dean Russell: Latest available data, referencing the start of 2022, showing the number of UK businesses with between 250 and 499 employees are given in the table. Table 1: Number of UK businesses with between 250 and 499 employees,start of 2022. Whole economyPrivate SectorCentral and local governmentNon-profit organizations5,0303,880580570Source: Business Population Estimates, 2022

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Disclosure of Information

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what percentage of Subject Access Requests are fully answered by government departments within the legal time limit.

Dean Russell: The Secretary of State for the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) as Data Controller for BEIS is only responsible Subject Access Requests (SARs) processed by the department. 100% of SARs processed by BEIS for 2022 have met the statutory deadline set down in UK data protection legislation.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Disclosure of Information

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many subject access requests his Department has (a) received and (b) responded to within the statutory limit in the last five years.

Dean Russell: The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has received 17,459 Subject Access Requests (SARs) in the last 5 years (01 January 2017 to 31 July 2022 inclusive). All SARs were responded to within the statutory deadline set down in UK data protection legislation.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Remote Working

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many and what proportion of staff in his Department work from home.

Dean Russell: The Department’s hybrid working policy states that all staff can only work up to a maximum of 60% of their time at home over a 4 week period, on the condition that business needs are prioritised. On average, most staff work at least 2 days a week, each week in an office. Last week between 3 -7 October, 16% of staff were working at home or on annual or other sorts of leave.

Pay Settlements

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Growth Plan 2022, published on 23 September 2022, CP 743, what recent discussions his Department has had with trade unions on bringing forward legislative proposals to require unions to put pay offers to a member vote.

Dean Russell: The proposals mentioned above will require Primary legislation. The Government intends to bring this forward when parliamentary time allows. The passage of any Bill will give trade unions the opportunity, via Members of Parliament, to share any concerns or constructive suggestion they may have on this policy.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Staff

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will publish a breakdown of the total payments made to civil servants in his Department for relocation costs to government offices outside London in 2021.

Dean Russell: The Total Expense claims paid by the Department recorded as Relocation Costs in Financial Year 2021-22 was £177,304.

Environmental Protection: EU Law

Kim Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on bringing forward legislative proposals to replace retained EU law on environmental protections following the passage of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill 2022.

Dean Russell: Policy on environmental protections is owned by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and any decisions regarding retained EU law on environmental protections are for Defra Ministers to take. The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has not held discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the content of Defra policy. The UK is a world leader in environmental protections. In reviewing our retained EU law, we want to ensure that environmental law is fit for purpose for the United Kingdom’s unique environment, enabling us to drive improved environmental outcomes and deliver on our commitment to halt nature’s decline by 2030.

Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill

Kim Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to consult (a) environmental and (b) public health organisations on the potential implications of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill 2022.

Dean Russell: Policy on the environment is owned by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), and any decisions regarding retained EU law on the environment are for Defra ministers to take. Policy on public health is owned by the Department for Health & Social Care (DHSC), and any decisions regarding retained EU law on public health are for DHSC Ministers to take. We are working through how best to involve stakeholders in this process and we will want to hear the views of environmental organisations as we develop the REUL programme.

Business: Loans

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of reports that businesses have had loan applications refused due to their credit histories detailing applications for governmental covid-19 Bounce Back Loans.

Dean Russell: Like any commercial credit agreement, Bounce Back Loans are reported by lenders to credit reference agencies, and will be recorded on a borrower’s business credit file. Where a borrower goes into default, this will be reported to credit rating agencies and may impact a borrower’s ability to access credit in the future. Creditworthiness assessments are ultimately an internal matter for lenders, and it would not be appropriate for the Government to comment on these decisions.

Bounce Back Loan Scheme and Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme

Stephen Farry: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the rise in energy prices on the rate of default on loans made under the Bounce Back Loan and Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan schemes.

Dean Russell: The Department regularly monitors repayments data across the Covid-19 loan schemes to assess the level of distress amongst borrowers with government-backed loans. Our latest assessment is that we have yet to see a substantial impact on businesses’ ability to repay from the current cost pressures, including rising energy prices. This is something that the Department will continue to review. The British Business Bank models the impact of wider economic conditions on the performance of the schemes in producing their estimates of expected credit losses across the schemes, which are then reported in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts.

Bounce Back Loan Scheme: Fraud

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of loans fraudulently claimed under the Bounce Back Loan Scheme; and what proportion of those loans were administered by (a) Lloyds, (b) Barclays, (c) NatWest, (d) HSBC and (e) other UK banks.

Dean Russell: Performance data for the Bounce Back Loan Scheme is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-loan-guarantee-schemes-repayment-data/bounce-back-loan-scheme-performance-data-as-at-31-july-2022. This includes specific information on the value of loans marked as suspected fraud, and claims made and settled by individual lenders who are accredited for the scheme. An updated estimate on the total rate of fraud in the Bounce Back Loan Scheme will be reported in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts 2021-2022, due for publication later this year.

Bounce Back Loan Scheme and Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme

Stephen Farry: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the potential impact of rising interest rates on the viability of loans made through the (a) Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan and (b) Bounce Back Loan scheme.

Dean Russell: For facilities provided under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), interest rates will depend on the specific loan agreements between a borrower and their lender. As with a bank’s normal commercial lending, borrowers on a variable interest rate could see their interest payments increase in line with any increase to the Bank of England Base Rate. Borrowers who are concerned about their ability to repay should contact their lender to discuss options available to them. In the case of the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS), the interest rate is fixed at 2.5% and therefore borrowers are protected from rising rates. Where borrowers are struggling to repay their loans due to wider cost pressures on their business, Pay as You Grow options can provide more time and greater flexibility in making repayments.

Film and Music: Intellectual Property

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent steps he has taken to progress the government's work to protect intellectual property in relation to music and film.

Dean Russell: The Government is continuing its work with the music industry to improve music streaming for creators and Ministers will shortly be updating the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee. The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is also considering evidence about how to implement the Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances, which will secure additional protections for British performers abroad. A public consultation on this is planned for the new year. Additionally, in February 2022, the IPO published its 5 year IP Counter Infringement Strategy setting out its ambition to make IP infringement socially unacceptable and which includes measures to reduce copyright infringement, including of music and film.

Energy Bills Rebate: Private Rented Housing

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals on ensuring landlords pass the Energy Bill Support Scheme (EBSS) discount on to tenants who pay all-inclusive bills.

Graham Stuart: The Government introduced the Energy Prices Bill in Parliament on 12th October. The Bill includes provisions to require landlords to pass benefits received from the Energy Price Guarantee, Energy Bills Support Scheme, or Energy Bill Relief Scheme as appropriate to tenants who pay all-inclusive bills. The legislation makes clear that intermediaries must pass the benefits to the end user. The government will introduce regulations to allow end users to recover any benefits they are due as a debt if they do not receive them by a specified period. This means that end users will be able to pursue recovery of benefits through civil proceedings.

Hydrogen: Carbon Emissions

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation and Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard provide a consistent approach for the transport industry to access support; and what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on cross-Departmental coordination of hydrogen policies.

Graham Stuart: The Government is committed to developing the use of hydrogen in transport and officials from BEIS and DfT work closely together in this area, including on the RTFO. The recent RTFO guidance changes for renewable fuel of non-biological origin increase the flexibility for hydrogen producers whilst driving decarbonisation. These amendments confirm DfT’s commitment in the Transport Decarbonisation Plan to maximise transport's use of additional green hydrogen. The Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard covers a range of different hydrogen production methods and BEIS will seek to incentivise projects that can demonstrate they have built or funded new low carbon generation.

Hydrogen

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking through the Hydrogen Business Model to help (a) increase the use of hydrogen in heavy transport, (b) incentivise fleets to decarbonise and (c) build the UK's hydrogen economy.

Graham Stuart: The hydrogen business model will be critical to building the UK’s hydrogen economy by unlocking private investment through a subsidy to close the gap between the cost of producing hydrogen and the price it can be sold for. We have confirmed our intention to proceed with a contractual producer-focused business model, applicable to a range of hydrogen production pathways and able to facilitate hydrogen use in a broad range of sectors. We are designing the hydrogen business model to be compatible with other existing support schemes such as the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation.

Civil Society: Energy

Richard Foord: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government is taking steps to provide financial support to (a) community organisations and (b) self-funding charities to help them become more energy efficient.

Graham Stuart: Charities and non-profit organisations may be entitled to a reduction in VAT, and exclusion from the main rates of the Climate Change Levy on the energy they use for non-business purposes. Government is also bringing forward an exemption on business rates for green technology. These organisations can also search for local schemes that provide both advice and grants on gov.uk. In addition, the Government has announced the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, to protect all businesses, voluntary sector, and public sector organisations against rising gas and electricity bills. The Government is developing options to deliver additional energy efficiency support to businesses.

Civil Society: Energy

Richard Foord: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what financial support his Department provides to help (a) community organisations, (b) community projects and (c) self-funded charities that are not in receipt of funding from local government to deal with rising energy costs in winter 2022.

Graham Stuart: The details of the Energy Bill Relief Scheme were announced on 21 September 2022, initially running for 6 months, covering energy use from 1 October 2022 until 31 March 2023. The Government will provide a discount on energy bills for all eligible non-domestic customers, including businesses, the voluntary sector and public sector, whose current gas and electricity prices have been significantly inflated in light of global energy prices.

Fracking

Helen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he will take to assess levels of local consent for fracking.

Graham Stuart: The Government expects industry to work closely with local communities in order to build support for new developments.

Energy: Prices

Kim Leadbeater: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the potential effect of trends in the cost of wholesale energy on the level paid by the Solar Export Guarantee.

Graham Stuart: The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) is a cost-reflective and market led mechanism and it is for suppliers to determine the value of the exported electricity and to take account of the administrative costs associated when setting their tariffs. The SEG contract that a supplier has with a householder is at a set price which is not directly linked to the wholesale market. We are currently reviewing Ofgem’s recently published annual SEG report to ensure that small-scale generators continue to have an effective route to market.

Energy Bill Relief Scheme

Jane Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of extending the Energy Bill Relief Scheme to businesses that signed fixed contracts before 1 April 2022.

Graham Stuart: The Government announced it would expand the eligibility criteria to include all fixed contracts signed from 1 December 2021, to ensure that the support offered through the Energy Bill Relief Scheme to businesses and other non-domestic energy users covers all recent energy price increases.

Power Failures

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policy of the National Grid's announcement of 6 October 2022 that the UK may experience power cuts lasting 3 hours per day during winter 2022; and if he will make a statement.

Graham Stuart: Power cuts are highly unlikely. The UK has a secure and diverse energy system. The Government is confident in its plans to protect households and businesses in the full range of scenarios this winter, despite the impact of Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine. The Government is working closely with Ofgem, National Grid and other key industry organisations to monitor the energy supply horizon and prepare for the upcoming winter.

Electricity: Smart Export Guarantee

Taiwo Owatemi: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reason the unit cost paid per KWH under the Smart Export Guarantee is lower than the current price of electricity.

Graham Stuart: The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) is a cost-reflective and market led mechanism and it is for suppliers to determine the value of the exported electricity and to take account of the administrative costs associated when setting their tariffs. The SEG contract that a supplier has with a householder is at a set price which is not directly linked to the wholesale market. We are currently reviewing Ofgem’s recently published annual SEG report to ensure that small-scale generators continue to have an effective route to market.

Solar Power

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he will take to support community-owned solar farms.

Graham Stuart: Through UK-wide growth funding schemes, the Government is enabling local areas to achieve net zero goals in ways that best suit their needs. Community energy projects, including solar farms, are encouraged within these schemes. Ofgem also supports community energy projects and is now welcoming applications from community interest groups, co-operative societies, and community benefit societies to the Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme. Given the level of support already available, the Government has no current plans to take further steps to support the development of community-owned solar farms.

Energy: Storage

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, in the context of constraint costs and grid capacity issues, whether he plans to provide support to long-duration energy storage technologies.

Graham Stuart: In April 2022, this Government, in the British Energy Security Strategy, committed to ensuring the deployment of sufficient large scale long duration electricity storage to balance the overall system by developing appropriate policy to enable investment by 2024.

Energy: Meters

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department will take in the event an energy supplier declines to install smart meters in their customers' homes.

Graham Stuart: The Government wants as many homes and small businesses as possible to be able to benefit from smart meters. In order to drive continued rollout momentum, the Government has introduced minimum annual installation targets for energy suppliers. Energy suppliers are also obligated to take all reasonable steps to install a smart meter where a meter is fitted for the first time or when an existing meter needs to be replaced. These licence conditions are regulated by the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem), which has a range of enforcement tools at its disposal.

Energy: Meters

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an estimate of how many and what proportion of households have a smart meter installed in each local authority as of 10 October 2022.

Graham Stuart: The Government’s official statistics on the rollout of smart meters are available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/smart-meters-statistics. These statistics are based on data from energy suppliers provided at Great Britain-level only. The rollout is making good progress, with more than half of energy meters in Great Britain now smart. At end June 2022 there were 29.5 million smart and advanced meters in homes and small businesses across Great Britain, including 27.8 million smart meters in domestic properties.

Hydrogen

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for how many hydrogen schemes his Department (a) is providing support and (b) plans to provide support.

Graham Stuart: The Government’s Net Zero Hydrogen Fund will provide up to £240m to develop and construct new production plants, and the Hydrogen Business Model will provide revenue support to production projects. The first joint allocation round for electrolytic hydrogen projects seeking support under both schemes closed on 12 October. Four CCUS-enabled hydrogen projects have also been shortlisted to proceed to the due diligence stage of the Phase-2 Cluster Sequencing process. The Government has also committed to design, by 2025, new business models for hydrogen transport and storage infrastructure, and is currently consulting on these.

Hydrogen: Scotland

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which hydrogen schemes in Scotland his Department has identified for government support.

Graham Stuart: We intend to deliver the Hydrogen Business Model and Net Zero Hydrogen Fund (NZHF) on a UK-wide basis. Projects will be selected on a competitive basis.The Acorn project in Aberdeenshire, which includes hydrogen facilities, is a reserve Track-1 cluster.We note the Scottish Government’s intention that funding available from the Emerging Energy Technologies Fund for hydrogen production will be complementary to, not duplicative of, the NZHF.Government is also supporting industry to deliver projects that use hydrogen, including the H100 project in Fife, Levenmouth, which aims to trial the use of 100% hydrogen for heat in around 300 homes.

Park Homes: Energy

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to help reduce energy bills for tenants and residents of park homes.

Graham Stuart: On the 29th July, the Government set out further details of the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) and, as part of this package, the Government confirmed that further funding will be available to provide equivalent support for park home residents. The details of the Energy Bill Relief Scheme were announced on 21 September 2022. The Government is working to ensure businesses and other organisations pass on the benefits under this scheme through to the end user in a reasonable and proportionate way. This will ensure additional support for tenants and park home residents.

Hydrogen: Finance

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he will take to increase levels of investment in Green Hydrogen in (a) Cheshire (b) the UK.

Graham Stuart: The recent Energy Security Strategy doubled our ambition from 5GW to 10GW of low carbon production capacity by 2030 with at least half of this coming from ‘green’ electrolytic hydrogen. This included a commitment to host yearly electrolytic allocation funding rounds for projects across the UK, which combines Hydrogen Business Model revenue support with optional CAPEX funding through the Net Zero Hydrogen Fund. Together with a clear policy and regulatory environment, we expect to mobilise over £9 billion of private investment in production alone across the UK by 2030, which will benefit the hydrogen economy across the UK.

Energy Bill Relief Scheme

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will publish the full eligibility criteria for (a) businesses and (b) other non-domestic consumers to claim support through the Energy Bills Relief Scheme.

Graham Stuart: The Energy Bills Relief Scheme will provide support to all businesses and other non-domestic energy users, including those in the voluntary and public sector who are on eligible energy supply contracts. Details on the eligibility criteria have been published at this link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/energy-bill-relief-scheme-help-for-businesses-and-other-non-domestic-customers#eligibility.

Energy

David Warburton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to help support the growth of community energy schemes.

Graham Stuart: Legislative mechanisms already exist which enable community energy groups to produce renewable energy, and the Government has no plans to bring forward further legislative proposals, at this time.

Energy

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if his Department will take steps to support the growth of community energy schemes.

Graham Stuart: Through the introduction of UK-wide growth funding schemes, Government is enabling local areas to tackle net zero goals in ways that best suit their needs. We encourage community energy groups to work closely with their local authority to support the development of community energy projects within these schemes. Ofgem also supports community energy projects and is now welcoming applications from community interest groups, co-operative societies, and community benefit societies to the Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme. Given the level of support already available, the Government has no plans to take further steps to support the growth of community energy schemes at this time.

Biofuels: Subsidies

Dr James Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment his Department has made of the value for money of subsidies given for the use of biomass for electricity generation.

Graham Stuart: The Government has in place conditions to ensure generators only receive subsidies for biomass that complies with the UK’s strict sustainability criteria. In 2021, biomass made up 12.9% of total electricity generation.

Biofuels: Electricity Generation

Dr James Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of biomass used for energy generation on (a) biodiversity and (b) the UK’s overseas land footprint.

Graham Stuart: The UK sustainability criteria are some of the most stringent in the world and include requirements under the land criteria and GHG (greenhouse gas) criteria. The land criteria take into account a range of social, economic, and environmental issues, including protecting biodiversity and land use rights. Where biomass is sourced from forests, the land criteria include requirements around regeneration rates and sustainable harvesting in the sourcing regions, requiring that the carbon stock of the forest from which biomass is derived is not decreased.

Energy: Prices

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what his planned timetable is for making an announcement on an equivalent to the £400 payment under the Energy Bills Support Scheme for people who live in (a) a park home, (b) a houseboat and (c) off the grid.

Graham Stuart: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for St Albans on 22nd September to Question 48498.

Drax Power Station: Timber

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, following the BBC Panorama report on 3 October, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) environmental and (b) financial impact of burning imported wood pellets for energy at Drax power station.

Graham Stuart: The UK only supports sustainable biomass use which can deliver genuine greenhouse gas emissions savings compared to fossil materials. The regulator Ofgem is responsible for auditing the sustainability of biomass used by electricity generators which receive support under the Renewables Obligation. Ofgem routinely checks whether the sustainability criteria have been met by generators. Sustainability information is publicly available on Ofgem’s website, with the latest dataset accessible here: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/biomass-sustainability-dataset-2020-21. The forthcoming Biomass Strategy will set out recommendations for further enhancing the UK’s stringent biomass sustainability criteria.

Energy Charter Treaty

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether her Department has made an assessment of the (a) likelihood and (b) potential impact on renegotiations of a member state withdrawing from the Energy Charter Treaty.

Graham Stuart: Contracting Parties to the Energy Charter Treaty will decide whether to adopt the modernised Energy Charter Treaty at the Energy Charter Conference on 22 November 2022. The Government is closely monitoring the positions of other Contracting Parties and considering the possible impacts of other Parties withdrawing from the Treaty.

Energy Charter Treaty

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps her Department is taking to ensure it is able to react of member state of the Energy Charter Treaty withdraws.

Graham Stuart: Contracting Parties to the Energy Charter Treaty will decide whether to adopt the modernised Energy Charter Treaty at the Energy Charter Conference on 22 November 2022. The Government is closely monitoring the positions of other Contracting Parties and considering the possible impacts of other Parties withdrawing from the Treaty.

Energy Bills Rebate

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when his Department expects the £400 energy grant to start being paid to households.

Graham Stuart: Electricity suppliers have started delivering the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) discount to households in GB with a domestic electricity meter from this October.Direct debit and credit customers have had the money credited to their account or paid into their account. Customers with smart prepayment meters have had the discount applied remotely to their meter. Customers with traditional prepayment meters receive a voucher or Special Action Message (SAM) from their supplier from the first week of each month. We are developing schemes to support households in GB who are not eligible for the Energy Bills Support Scheme, and in Northern Ireland.

Electricity: Prices

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make it his policy for Ofgem to undertake a review of off-peak tariff pricing, in the context of the potential merits of that pricing for (a) existing customers and (b) emerging flexible electricity markets.

Graham Stuart: As set out in the 2021 Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan, the Government is working with Ofgem and industry to support the increased provision of “smart” tariffs that reward consumers for changing their pattern of consumption to benefit the electricity system. We will set out next steps on the future of the retail market in due course.

Energy: Storage

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of energy storage on (a) decarbonising the energy system and (b) helping to ensure security of energy supply.

Graham Stuart: The Government published analysis which examined future requirements of flexible low carbon technologies including electricity storage, alongside the joint BEIS and Ofgem Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan 2021.

Biofuels: Environment Protection

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that sustainable biomass energy generation does not lead to deforestation.

Graham Stuart: In order to receive support, biomass electricity generators are required to comply with the UK’s strict sustainability criteria, which ensure that only sustainable biomass is used by the generators. Where woody biomass is sourced from forests, to receive support, the forests must be managed in accordance with sustainable management practices that require the maintenance and replanting of the forest, demonstration that deforestation is not occurring, and that biodiversity, soil and water are protected, among other requirements. The forthcoming Biomass Strategy will set out recommendations for further enhancing the UK’s stringent biomass sustainability criteria.

Drax Power Station: Timber

Mrs Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, (a) on what basis his Department decided to begin subsidising the burning of wood pellets at Drax power station, (b) for how long that subsidy has been in place and (c) if he will halt that subsidy and carry out a full review of the evidence basis for the policy.

Graham Stuart: Sustainable biomass can be used to produce renewable and low-carbon electricity and has system benefits, such as dispatchability and inertia, and stable established supply chains and prices, providing energy security within a net zero consistent energy system. Drax has been supported under the Renewables Obligation since 2011, and under the Contracts for Difference scheme since 21st December 2016 to generate renewable electricity. There is no cost to the public purse as both schemes are paid for by compulsory levies on electricity suppliers. The Government only supports sustainable biomass and generators only receive subsidies for biomass that complies with the UK’s strict sustainability criteria. The forthcoming Biomass Strategy will detail the Government’s assessment of the priority use of biomass across the economy.

Fossil Fuels: Exploration

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to reduce the extraction of fossil fuels; what assessment he has made of the role that a global registry of fossil fuels could play in enabling (a) policy-makers, (b) investors and (c) others to make informed decisions to align UK fossil fuel production levels with those required to keep global temperature increases below 1.5°C; and if he will make a statement.

Graham Stuart: Transparency has an essential role to play in supporting competition and sustainability in global energy markets. The Government welcomed what the Global Registry may be able to add to existing sources of information and will consider how to contribute to this initiative. The UK is committed to its Net Zero target by 2050, to phase out unabated coal generation by 2024 and has introduced a Climate Compatibility Checkpoint for new oil and gas licensing rounds. Investment in North Sea production allows for continued reduction in production related emissions, contributes to an orderly management of declining output and replaces higher emission imports such as LNG.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 18 July 2022 to Question 33677 on Greenhouse Gas Emissions, what recent progress his Department has made on preparing the Net Zero progress report.

Graham Stuart: I have laid a statutory instrument to extend the deadline for my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State’s response to the CCC’s annual report to 31 March 2023. The extension will give the Government sufficient time to consider its response to the findings of the Net Zero review, reporting at the end of December 2022, and reflect this in the Government response. It will also avoid pre-empting or undermining the outcome of the review. This response will include an update on progress of the Net Zero Strategy.

Natural Gas: Storage

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much gas is currently in storage in the UK; and what percentage the gas stored represents the total annual gas usage.

Graham Stuart: The UK has a working gas storage capacity of 1.5bcm (billion cubic meters). This is equivalent to around 2% of typical total annual gas demand. Based on the Aggregate Gas Storage Inventory (AGSI) figures, as of Tuesday 11 October, GB storage is 100% full.

Natural Gas: Storage

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department made of the cost of (a) repairing and (b) maintaining the Rough Gas Storage Field in 2017.

Graham Stuart: Centrica closed Rough in June 2017 for commercial reasons. This was not a decision for BEIS or Government ministers. At the time, external analysis produced by Cambridge Economic Policy Associates (CEPA) found that the closure of Rough had limited to no impact on security of supply or the price of gas.

Drax Power Station: Timber

Mr Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reason his Department provided renewable subsidies to Drax for the burning of imported wood.

Graham Stuart: The Renewables Obligation and Contracts for Difference schemes were set up to support the establishment of new low-carbon electricity generation projects, helping to reduce reliance on fossils fuels. Sustainable biomass can be used to produce renewable and low-carbon electricity. It has numerous system benefits from dispatchability to inertia, with stable established supply chains, providing energy security within a net zero consistent energy system. The Government only supports sustainable biomass and generators only receive subsidies for biomass that complies with the UK’s strict sustainability criteria.

Drax Power Station: Timber

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Panorama report, aired on 3 October, on the environmental and financial cost of shipping wood pellets from North America to be burnt at Drax power station, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of those potential (a) financial and (b) environmental costs.

Graham Stuart: The UK only supports sustainable biomass use which can deliver genuine greenhouse gas emissions savings compared to fossil materials. The regulator Ofgem is responsible for auditing the sustainability of biomass used by electricity generators which receive support under the Renewables Obligation. Ofgem routinely checks whether the sustainability criteria have been met by generators. Sustainability information is publicly available on Ofgem’s website, with the latest dataset accessible here: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/biomass-sustainability-dataset-2020-21. The forthcoming Biomass Strategy will set out recommendations for further enhancing the UK’s stringent biomass sustainability criteria.

Biofuels: Electricity Generation

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment his Department has made of the reliability of biomass as a method of producing electricity.

Graham Stuart: Sustainable biomass can be used to produce renewable and low-carbon electricity and has numerous system benefits from dispatchability to inertia, stable established supply chains and prices, providing energy security within a net zero consistent energy system.The sun does not always shine and the wind does not always blow. Biomass helps to balance the energy grid when this is the case.

Natural Gas: Exploration

Beth Winter: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September to Question 51639 on Offshore Industry: North Sea, whether he plans to undertake analysis of the potential impact of increased domestic gas exploration and extraction in the North Sea on domestic wholesale price specifically.

Graham Stuart: The Government works closely with Ofgem, National Grid Gas and other key industry organisations to monitor the gas supply horizon and the impacts on the wholesale market. The Government has also set up the Energy Supply Taskforce, which has begun negotiations with domestic and international suppliers to agree long-term contracts that reduce the price they charge for energy and increase the security of its supply.

Natural Gas: Exploration

Beth Winter: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of including an analysis of clean energy investment by license bidders in the Climate Compatibility Checkpoint used by the North Sea Transition Authority in its (a) most recent and (b) future licensing rounds.

Beth Winter: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of including an analysis of scope three emissions in the Climate Compatibility Checkpoint used by the North Sea Transition Authority in its (a) most recent and (b) future licensing rounds.

Beth Winter: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of including an analysis of global gas production levels in the Climate Compatibility Checkpoint used by the North Sea Transition Authority in its (a) most recent and (b) future licensing rounds.

Graham Stuart: We have published the design of the Climate Compatibility Checkpoint, along with the Government’s response to the information received in the public consultation. There are currently no plans to revisit this design.

Natural Gas: Exploration

Beth Winter: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of applying the climate compatibility checkpoint design to the development of existing licenses for domestic gas exploration and extraction.

Graham Stuart: Development under existing licences is already subject to rigorous examination by our expert regulators. This includes an environmental impact assessment by the Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (OPRED), net zero related assessments by the North Sea Transition Authority which assesses the full societal cost of greenhouse gas emissions of proposed projects and has a clear emissions reduction focus in its stewardship activities.

Energy Supply: Rural Areas

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to assess the potential need for additional financial support for off-grid households; and (a) how often and (b) what metrics are used by his Department plans to make these assessments.

Graham Stuart: The Alternative Fuel Payment will provide £100 to support households who do not use mains gas for heating with the rising price of fuel this winter. The price of heating oil is estimated to have risen by around 147% in the year to October 2022. A payment of £100 will effectively limit the increase in heating costs to 130%, in line with the benefit offered by the Energy Price Guarantee for customers on mains gas. The Government will continue to monitor the prices of alternative fuels, such as heating oil, and will consider further intervention if required to protect UK households from extraordinary fuel prices.

Energy: Meters

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department will require energy suppliers to replace pre-paid energy meters with smart meters.

Graham Stuart: Energy suppliers are already obligated to take all reasonable steps to install a smart meter where a meter is fitted for the first time or when an existing meter needs to be replaced.Smart meters can operate in credit or prepayment mode. Most recent figures showed 13% of all smart meters were in prepayment mode, broadly in line with the overall levels of prepayment meters in the market.

Electricity: Consumption

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the amount of additional electricity demand that will result from (a) heat pumps in residential homes and (b) domestic electric vehicle charging.

Graham Stuart: The Net Zero Strategy sets out how electricity demand is likely to increase by 40-60% by 2035, including increased demand from electric vehicles and heat pumps.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas

Claire Hanna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to support households reliant on liquefied petroleum gas.

Graham Stuart: Households reliant on Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) will receive the Alternative Fuel Payment (AFP). The AFP will provide a one-off payment to UK households that use alternative fuels for heating such as LPG. This £100 payment will ensure that all households who do not benefit through the Energy Price Guarantee to heat their homes, receive support for the cost of the fuel they do use.

Electric Vehicles: Charging Points

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that apartment blocks can receive signals for smart meters so as to allow for the charging of electric vehicles.

Graham Stuart: Energy suppliers are working on solutions to extend the range of the smart meter Home Area Network, and are already rolling out a “dual band” communications hub which can operate on two different frequencies and therefore serve many previously hard to reach flats and tower blocks. The Government is working with industry to ensure a technical solution is developed for the small minority of properties that cannot be served by the new “dual band” communications hub.

Housing: Fuel Oil

Alberto Costa: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the £100 one-off payment to households that use heating oil, whether his Department plans to provide further financial support to those households.

Graham Stuart: In addition to the £100 one-off payment, households not on standard gas or electricity contracts will receive equivalent support to that provided through the Energy Bills Support Scheme and The Energy Price Guarantee. The Government is working at speed to determine the most practical and tested routes to deliver this support.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Aramco

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 20 September to Question 45769 on Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Aramco, for what reason meetings, including with Saudi Aramco, attended by the then Secretary of State on a visit to Saudi Arabia on 30 and 31 January 2022 were not listed in the BEIS ministerial meetings transparency data published on 14 July 2022; and if he will place a copy of the minutes of those meetings in the Library.

Graham Stuart: The omission of meetings arose due to an administrative oversight. This data has since been updated with further details of engagements carried out during the visit in line with our commitment to transparency. The minutes of the meetings are already available online following a Freedom of Information request.

Energy Bills Rebate

Helen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to help (a) off-grid homeowners and (b) businesses access the support with energy bills.

Helen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to support off-grid (a) homeowners and (b) businesses with rising energy bills.

Graham Stuart: The Alternative Fuel Payment will provide £100 to support households, who do not use mains gas for heating, with the rising price of fuel this winter in addition to a number of other government support schemes. The Energy Bill Relief Scheme will provide a price reduction to ensure that all businesses and other non-domestic customers are protected from excessively high energy bills over the winter period. Eligible non-domestic customers do not need to take action or apply to the scheme – support will automatically be applied to bills.

Energy: Storage

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will take steps to help support the development of thermal storage technologies, in the context of (a) the electrification of heat in buildings and (b) the rollout of (i) heat pumps and (ii) electric vehicles.

Graham Stuart: The Government supports the development of novel thermal storage technologies through initiatives such as the Net Zero Innovation Programme, the Energy Entrepreneurs Fund and the long duration energy storage competition. In addition, research council funding for universities has enabled innovative work such as the “Heat Pump Fully Integrated with Thermochemical Store” at the University of Warwick.

Biofuels: Costs

Owen Thompson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to increases in the rising cost of fuel, what steps the Government are taking to provide support to those who use biomass fuel.

Graham Stuart: The Alternative Fuel Payment scheme is intended to deliver a one-off payment of £100 to households who are not on the mains gas grid and therefore use alternative fuels to heat their homes. Non-domestic consumers will receive comparable support; further detail will be announced shortly. The Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Fund is intended to provide the £400 of support for households that would miss out on the Energy Bills Support Scheme due to not having a domestic electricity contract. The Alternative Funding will be made available for this winter, with an announcement in due course.

Radioactive Waste: Irish Sea

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions have taken place between bodies associated with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and the governments of the Republic of Ireland and the Isle of Man regarding potential transboundary impacts of activities associated with the planned construction of a geological disposal facility for the storage of high-level radioactive waste.

Graham Stuart: Nuclear Waste Services (NWS), a division of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, is the delivery body for the geological disposal facility (GDF). NWS meets with officials from the Republic of Ireland and the Isle of Man under the auspices of the regular UK-Ireland Contact Group to update them on the siting process for a GDF, including sighting them on potential impacts of activities it undertakes to identify a suitable location. The community consent-based process to identify and select a site in England is at an early stage. Currently, four possible areas are under consideration – three in Cumbria and one in Lincolnshire.

National Parks: Fracking

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government’s decision to lift the ban on fracking will also apply to land within National Parks.

Graham Stuart: Restrictions set out in the Onshore Hydraulic Fracturing Regulations 2015 and in licence conditions ensure that shale gas extraction will not be permitted in wells drilled from National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Sites of Specific Scientific Interest.

Energy: Storage

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Energy Price Guarantee on the level of storage capacity in the national grid.

Graham Stuart: The Government has not made an assessment of whether the Energy Price Guarantee will impact electricity storage on the grid. The Government is facilitating the deployment of electricity storage at all scales through the joint 2021 BEIS and Ofgem Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan.

Nuclear Power and Renewable Energy

Dame Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the potential benefits for energy security of implementing an accelerated transition to UK-grown renewable and nuclear power sources.

Graham Stuart: The British Energy Security Strategy, published in April, builds on the 10 Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution and sets out our ambitions for deployment of low-carbon energy, including nuclear and renewables. Nuclear is a generator of continuous power which provides stability to the grid, providing a solid foundation for power generation on which renewable technologies can build. The Government has an ambition to deploy up to 24GW of nuclear by 2050. The Government has also announced an increased ambition for offshore wind, to deploy up to 50GW by 2030. More renewables and nuclear will ensure the UK is less reliant on foreign imports of oil and gas.

Biomethane: Production

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has taken steps to promote the use of large scale biomethane energy production in the UK; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of encouraging energy providers to facilitate such production.

Graham Stuart: The Green Gas Support Scheme (GGSS) provides tariff-support for biomethane produced via anaerobic digestion and injected into the gas grid. The design of the scheme aims to stimulate production at larger volumes than under previous schemes which will lead to increased carbon savings and value for money.As stated in our government response to the Future Support for Low Carbon Heat Consultation, for long term support to biomethane we expect to focus on market-based mechanisms which leverage competitive forces to drive down costs and ensure cost-effectiveness. Any future policy will be subject to external consultation.

Energy Bills Rebate

Mr Richard Holden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how his Department plans to provide the £400 energy payment to people in households that are off grid.

Graham Stuart: On 29 July the Government set out further details of the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) and confirmed that further funding would be available to provide equivalent support of £400 for energy bills for the small percentage of domestic energy consumers not reached by EBSS. This will include those who do not have a domestic electricity meter or a direct relationship with an energy supplier including off grid homes.

Warehouses: Solar Power

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to mandate (a) existing and (b) new commercial warehouses to install rooftop solar panels.

Graham Stuart: The Government is encouraging businesses to install solar panels on their existing roof stock, for example through business rate exemptions and tax relief. However, a blanket requirement to deploy solar photovoltaic panels on every existing roof is impractical. Some roofs are not suitable because of shading, orientation and location. In December 2021, the Government introduced an uplift in energy efficiency standards for new builds, which came into force on 15 June 2022. We expect that to meet the new standards, most new warehouses are likely to be built with renewables, principally roof mounted solar panels.

Energy: Costs

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact on consumers' fuel bills impact of the proposals on hydrogen levies contained in the Energy Bill.

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed hydrogen levies contained in the Energy Bill on consumers' fuel bills.

Graham Stuart: The precise impact of a hydrogen levy on consumer bills will depend on future policy design choices and uncertain market conditions. This means there is currently uncertainty regarding possible consumer bill impacts. The provisions in the Energy Security Bill would not immediately introduce this levy; they would only enable Government to introduce the levy later, through secondary legislation. It is the Government’s intention to publish an impact assessment alongside the draft first set of any future regulations that would establish the levy. Decisions regarding future funding are ongoing and will take into account wider government priorities and policies – including considerations related to the affordability of energy bills.

Energy Bills Rebate: Religious Buildings

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment the Government has made of the adequacy of funding for (a) faith centres and (b) places of worship under the Energy Bills Support Scheme.

Graham Stuart: The Energy Bill Relief Scheme will provide a price reduction to all UK businesses and other non-domestic energy users including faith centres and places of worship on eligible energy supply contracts. This will help ensure they are protected from excessively high energy bills over the winter period. The exact value of the savings for each non-domestic customer will vary depending on their contract type, the tariff and the volume used, but the scheme is intended to ensure broad parity and fairness.

Energy: Meters

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether it remains his policy that energy companies should repair or restore malfunctioning smart meter visual display units installed in homes.

Graham Stuart: When energy suppliers install a smart meter in a household, they are required to offer the customer an In-Home Display (IHD). Energy suppliers also have an obligation to provide support for IHDs, including a repair or replacement where necessary, within the first year of installing a consumer’s smart meter. The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) is responsible for regulating energy suppliers against their licence obligations.

Heating: Hydrogen

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, (a) what recent estimate his Department has made of the potential additional costs to consumers if hydrogen is used for domestic heating and (b) what recent assessment he has made of the suitability of hydrogen as a fuel for domestic heating.

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment his Department has made of the (a) health and (b) air quality impacts of nitrogen oxide emissions generated by the burning of hydrogen in (i) boilers and (ii) other domestic appliances.

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to his remarks in the House on 22 September 2022 on to the potential use of hydrogen for domestic heating, if his Department will publish an assessment of the potential (a) costs and (b) disruption that consumers would experience if hydrogen were used for that purpose.

Graham Stuart: Using 100% hydrogen for domestic heating is not yet an established technology. The Government, working with industry, is undertaking further work to assess the technical feasibility, costs, benefits and other impacts of using hydrogen, relative to other heat decarbonisation technologies. This will enable decisions in 2026 on the role of low carbon hydrogen in heating.

Warehouses: Solar Power

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will meet with the UK Warehousing Association to discuss the potential merits of placing solar panels on the UK's public and private warehousing stock to help tackle climate change and improve energy security.

Graham Stuart: I would be delighted to meet with the UK Warehousing Association to discuss the installation of solar panels on the roofs of warehouses in the UK.

Energy: Waste

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has conducted a recent cost-benefit analysis of energy from waste facilities.

Graham Stuart: BEIS has assessed that energy from waste for electricity generation is economically viable without Government support, and therefore only energy from waste with combined heat and power is supported under the Contracts for Difference scheme.

Business Premises: Solar Power

James Cartlidge: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has plans he has to help increase the use of solar panels on roofs of industrial and commercial buildings.

Graham Stuart: The Government is encouraging businesses to install solar panels on their roofs in various ways, for example through a business rate exemption for a range of green technologies, including solar panels and solar & storage packages, used for generating renewable energy onsite until 2035. Businesses installing solar panels also benefit from tax relief. My Rt. Hon. Friend the then Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Growth Plan set out that the temporary increase in Annual Investment Allowance for qualifying expenditure on plant and machinery assets (including solar panels) has been made permanent. The Government is also reviewing existing permitted development rights to simplify planning and enable more rooftop solar deployment on industrial and commercial buildings.

Biomethane: Production

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make it his policy to use biomethane energy production facilities to reduce carbon emissions.

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make biomethane energy production a part of the national energy strategy.

Graham Stuart: The Heat and Buildings Strategy and the Net Zero Strategy published in 2021 are clear on the need to increase the proportion of biomethane injected into the gas grid. Government launched the Green Gas Support Scheme in November 2021 providing tariff-support for biomethane produced via anaerobic digestion and injected into the gas grid.

Sizewell C Power Station

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he expects the construction of Sizewell C Nuclear Power Station to be completed; if he will provide an update on the funding of that power station; and what recent discussions his Department has had about the construction of other new nuclear power stations.

Graham Stuart: The Government is in commercial negotiations on Sizewell C, which are commercially sensitive. The Growth Plan 2022 states Government is targeting a Final Investment Decision for Sizewell C by the end of 2023, subject to all relevant approvals. The Government has also announced its intention to provide up to £700m of funding to the project, subject to the outcome of the current negotiations. The Government has launched the Future Nuclear Enabling Fund and will set up Great British Nuclear to help develop projects beyond Sizewell C. Discussions with developers are commercially sensitive.

Renewable Energy

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to introduce a revenue cap on renewable energy companies.

Graham Stuart: On 12th October 2022, the Government introduced a new Energy Prices Bill to ensure vital support gets to British consumers this winter. This includes new powers to help break the link between high global gas prices and the cost of low-carbon electricity. The powers allow for the establishment of a temporary Cost-Plus Revenue Limit to reduce the impact of unprecedented wholesale prices on consumers and the taxpayer. This limit will apply to low-carbon generation and allow generators to cover their costs and receive an appropriate revenue that reflects their operational output, investment commitment and risk profile.

Recycling: Energy

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department has taken to support the recycling and reprocessing industry with rising energy prices.

Graham Stuart: The Government understands the huge pressure businesses are facing with their energy bills, which is why immediate action has been taken to support them over the winter, protecting jobs and livelihoods. The Energy Bill Relief Scheme for non-domestic customers will provide a discount on energy bills for all eligible non-domestic customers, including those in the recycling and reprocessing industry, whose current gas and electricity prices have been significantly inflated in light of global energy prices. This targeted support builds on our longer-term work with the sector, as set out in the Circular Economy Package and the Resources and Waste Strategy.

Home Shipbuilding Credit Guarantee Scheme

Douglas Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what progress the Government has made on the introduction of a Home Shipbuilding Credit Guarantee Scheme that was due to be launched in spring 2022.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The Home Shipbuilding Credit Guarantee is one of my key priorities for early delivery now that the new Government is in place. I will be bringing forward our specific proposals for the scheme to my Whitehall colleagues shortly with a view to launching a scheme this calendar year.

Shipping: Energy

Douglas Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will meet with representatives from the maritime sector to discuss the potential impact of rising energy costs on the sector and its ability to ensure that critical supply chains remain operational.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: I will be meeting with representatives from the maritime sector for a general introduction in the coming few weeks.The recently announced Energy Bill Relief Scheme (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-outlines-plans-to-help-cut-energy-bills-for-businesses) ensures that all businesses and other non-domestic customers are protected from excessively high energy bills over the winter period. A review of the scheme, to be published in three months, will identify the most vulnerable non-domestic customers and how the government will continue assisting them with energy costs after the initial six months.

Public Health: EU Law

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to enhance (a) environmental and (b) public health regulation following his Department’s review of existing EU regulation.

Dean Russell: Policy on the environment is owned by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and any decisions regarding retained EU law on the environment are for DEFRA Ministers to take. Policy on public health is owned by the Department for Health & Social Care, and any decisions regarding retained EU law on public health are for DHSC Ministers to take. The UK is a world leader in environmental protections. In reviewing our retained EU law, we want to ensure that environmental law is fit for purpose for the UK’s unique environment, enabling us to drive improved environmental outcomes and deliver on our commitment to halt nature’s decline by 2030.

Innovate UK and Universities: Finance

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2022 to Question 33779 on Innovate UK: Expenditure, what assessment he has made of the impact of reduced funding for (a) Innovate UK and (b) awards to Academic Institutions.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: As set out in the answer given to Question 33779, fluctuations in investment levels between years reflect changes due to large programme awards and volumes of Covid related business support. Innovate UK’s core programmes budget is due to increase year on year throughout the current spending review period (FY22/23 to FY24/25) to £1.1bn by FY24/25, an increase of 66% on FY21/22 All IUK programmes will be subject to its new Impact Management Framework that will demonstrate clear value for money and evidence of impact. The amount of funding going to Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) will be dependent on circumstances around specific competitions and collaborations but will continue to play a vital role in IUK’s portfolio. And collaborative programmes will be subject to the same Impact Framework.

Research: Finance

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the fall in the value of the Pound Sterling on (a) current and future UKRI budgets, (b) the capacity of publicly funded research to complete existing research projects and (c) public to private research and development investment ratios.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The Government has raised public R&D spending to its highest ever level, reflecting that innovation is vital to future economic growth. The Department maintains close oversight of the funding of the UK R&D landscape, including working with our partner organisations and key R&D-intensive sectors to understand the challenges they face. Most public Research & Development (R&D) funding is spent domestically, and the impact of currency fluctuations is therefore limited in these areas. However, exchange rate volatility does have a significant impact on certain programmes, including UK contributions to international research infrastructures and organisations. BEIS and its partner organisations have foreign exchange hedging policies in place to manage currency volatility for contractual payments in non-sterling currencies.

Science: Foreign Investment in UK

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent steps his Department has taken to help increase international investor confidence in UK science.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The UK is an attractive destination for international investment in R&D with a world-class research and innovation system and skills base. The Innovation Strategy set out the steps Government is taking to create the conditions for businesses – including overseas firms – to invest in UK innovation. Recent investments include Moderna’s commitment to building a new mRNA manufacturing and R&D centre in the UK, in a deal valued at £1 billion The Growth Plan will help to unlock billions of pounds of additional investment into UK science and technology firms. This includes establishing Investment Zones, expanding R&D tax reliefs and introducing the Long-term Investment for Technology & Science (LIFTS) competition. LIFTS will provide up to £500 million to support new funds designed by institutional investors and world-class fund managers to crowd billions of pounds of private investment into UK science and technology businesses.

Horizon Europe

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what progress has been made (a) towards association with or (b) to the development of an alternative programme to the Horizon Europe Programme.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: Our preference remains association to European programmes, and we are doing everything we can to achieve this goal. At the UK-EU Specialised Committee meeting on 22 September, we once again requested that the EU fulfil its obligation to finalise the UK’s association to Horizon Europe. It is regrettable that the EU declined this request. We are now considering next steps, as our priority is to support the UK’s world leading R&D sector.At the 2021 Spending Review, the then Chancellor of the Exchequer set out that in the event we are unable to associate, we will use the funding allocated to Horizon Europe to build on our existing R&D programmes with a new UK research, infrastructure and innovation alternative to Horizon. This investment will support top talent, drive innovation and foster international collaboration with EU and global partners.Following the publication of our transitional plans on July 20, which outlined our immediate plans to support the sector should association not be possible, more detailed proposals on long term alternatives will be published following engagement with the sector.

EU Law: Internet

Stephen Farry: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has had recent discussions with the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs on the retained EU law dashboard; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending the dashboard to allow users to filter legislation by devolved administrations.

Dean Russell: Ahead of the quarterly update to the retained EU law (REUL) dashboard, UK Government departments have been encouraged to work with their devolved counterparts to determine where retained EU law (REUL) is situated across the UK statute book. Where appropriate, amendments will be made to the functionality of the dashboard to reflect the outcome of this engagement.

Northern Ireland Office

Northern Ireland Office: Railways

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much his Department spent on first class train travel for (a) ministers and (b) civil servants in (i) 2020, (i) 2021 and (iii) 2022.

Mr Steve Baker: My Department has spent to following on first class train travel:  MinistersStaff2020£822.20Nil2021NilNil2022£433.20Nil

Department of Health and Social Care

NHS: Putney

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) financial and (b) other steps her Department is taking to help tackle NHS workforce shortages in Putney constituency.

Robert Jenrick: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Care Homes: Putney

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of residential care homes that have closed in Putney constituency since December 2019.

Neil O'Brien: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

General Practitioners: Putney

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if her Department will take steps to increase the availability of face-to-face GP appointments in Putney constituency.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Care Homes: Streatham

Bell Ribeiro-Addy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of residential care homes that have closed in Streatham constituency since 2010.

Neil O'Brien: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

General Practitioners: Streatham

Bell Ribeiro-Addy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if her Department will take steps to increase the availability of face-to-face GP appointments in Streatham constituency.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

General Practitioners: Streatham

Bell Ribeiro-Addy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department has provided additional (a) financial and (b) other support to help tackle (i) patient backlogs and (ii) increased workloads in GP surgeries in Streatham constituency.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Surgery: Streatham

Bell Ribeiro-Addy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce waiting times for elective surgeries in Streatham constituency.

Robert Jenrick: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Learning Disability: Children

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an estimate of the number of children that have been registered as having a learning disability in each of the last five years.

Dr Caroline Johnson: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

General Practioners: York

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of GP practices open in (a) York and (b) York Central constituency (i) on 13 October 2022 and (ii) in 2013.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

General Practioners: York

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of full-time equivalent fully qualified GPs, excluding GPs in Training Grade, practicing in (a) York and (b) York Central constituency (i) on 13 October 2022 and (ii) in 2013.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Surgery: York

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of cancelled operations in (a) York and (b) York Central constituency in the past 12 months.

Robert Jenrick: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Perinatal Mortality: Lancaster and Fleetwood

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of trends in rates of perinatal mortality in Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency.

Dr Caroline Johnson: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

NHS: Lancaster and Fleetwood

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) financial and (b) other steps her Department is taking to help tackle NHS workforce shortages in Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency.

Robert Jenrick: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Midwives: Training

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of the cost of training a student midwife is paid by (a) the student, (b) her Department and (c) other sources.

Robert Jenrick: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Midwives: Training

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans she has to increase the number of student midwife training places in future years.

Robert Jenrick: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Midwives: Training

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many individuals (a) were accepted onto pre-registration midwifery training courses, (b) started their pre-registration midwifery training, (c) were at any stage in their pre-registration midwifery training and (d) successfully completed their pre-registration midwifery training, in England, in each academic year since 2015-16.

Robert Jenrick: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Eating Disorders: Walsall South

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help support young people with eating disorders in Walsall South constituency.

Dr Caroline Johnson: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Mental Health Services: Walsall South

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help improve access to mental health services in Walsall South constituency.

Dr Caroline Johnson: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Care Homes: Nottingham South

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of residential care homes that have closed in Nottingham South constituency since (a) 2019 and (b) 2010.

Neil O'Brien: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

General Practitioners: Nottingham South

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if her Department will take steps to increase the availability of face-to-face GP appointments in Nottingham South constituency.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

General Practitioners: Nottingham South

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department has provided additional (a) financial and (b) other support to help tackle (i) patient backlogs and (ii) increased workloads in GP surgeries in Nottingham South constituency.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Surgery: Nottingham South

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce waiting times for elective surgeries in Nottingham South constituency.

Robert Jenrick: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

North Tees and Hartlepool Hospitals NHS Trust: Staff

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for a list of staff shortages for each department at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust.

Robert Jenrick: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Diabetes: Easington

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people were diagnosed with diabetes in Easington constituency in each of the last five years.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Breast Cancer: Easington

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the uptake of breast cancer screening in Easington constituency.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Dental Services: Easington

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of NHS dentist provision in Easington constituency.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

General Practitioners: Lancaster and Fleetwood

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department has provided additional (a) financial and (b) other support to help tackle (i) patient backlogs and (ii) increased workloads in GP surgeries in Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency.

Will Quince: The ‘Delivery plan for tackling the COVID-19 backlog of elective care’, published in February 2022, stated the ambition to reduce patient backlogs for planned National Health Service treatments and the Government plans to spend more than £8 billion from 2022/23 to 2024/25. We made £520 million available to expand general practice capacity during the pandemic. This was in addition to at least £1.5 billion announced in 2020 by 2024 which includes supporting increased workloads in general practitioner (GP) surgeries, including in Lancaster and Fleetwood. In September 2022, ‘Our plan for patients’ announced measures to support GP practices increase access and manage workloads, such as the provision of 31,000 phone lines and funding to expand the staff roles working in general practice, including in Lancaster and Fleetwood.

Perinatal Mortality: Chesterfield

Mr Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of trends in rates of perinatal mortality in Chesterfield constituency.

Dr Caroline Johnson: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

General Practitioners: Chesterfield

Mr Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of GP surgeries were rated as good by the Care Quality Commission in Chesterfield constituency.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

NHS: Chesterfield

Mr Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) financial and (b) other steps her Department is taking to help tackle NHS workforce shortages in Chesterfield constituency.

Robert Jenrick: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

General Practitioners: Hammersmith

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of GP surgeries were rated as good by the Care Quality Commission in Hammersmith constituency as of September 2022.

Will Quince: As of 12 October 2022, 16 or 84.2% of general practitioner practices in Hammersmith are currently rated by the Care Quality Commission as ‘Good’.

Mental Health Services: Batley and Spen

Kim Leadbeater: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help improve access to mental health services in Batley and Spen constituency.

Dr Caroline Johnson: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Surgery: Ealing North

James Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of cancelled operations in Ealing North in the last 12 months.

Robert Jenrick: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Dental Services: County Durham

Mary Kelly Foy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the availability of NHS dentistry in (a) City of Durham constituency and (b) County Durham.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

General Practitioners: Wirral South

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of GP appointments that took place in Wirral South constituency (a) in the past 12 months and (b) in 2013.

Will Quince: No specific estimate has been made as data on general practice appointments is not collected by constituency. However, in the twelve months to August 2022, there were 14.5 million appointments in the Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System area, excluding COVID-19 vaccinations.

Eating Disorders: Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough

Gill Furniss: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help support young people with eating disorders in Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough Constituency.

Dr Caroline Johnson: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

General Practitioners: Putney

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department has provided additional (a) financial and (b) other support to help tackle (i) patient backlogs and (ii) increased workloads in GP surgeries in Putney constituency.

Will Quince: The ‘Delivery plan for tackling the COVID-19 backlog of elective care’, published in February 2022, stated the ambition to reduce patient backlogs for planned National Health Service treatments and the Government plans to spend more than £8 billion from 2022/23 to 2024/25. We made £520 million available to expand general practice capacity during the pandemic. This was in addition to at least £1.5 billion announced in 2020 by 2024 which includes supporting increased workloads in general practitioner (GP) surgeries, including in Putney. In September 2022, ‘Our plan for patients’ announced measures to support GP practices increase access and manage workloads, such as the provision of 31,000 phone lines and funding to expand the staff roles working in general practice, including in Putney.

Breast Cancer: Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough

Gill Furniss: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the uptake of breast cancer screening in Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough constituency.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Dental Services: Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough

Gill Furniss: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the NHS dentist provision in Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough Constituency.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Dental Services: Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough

Gill Furniss: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help improve access to NHS dental services in Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough constituency.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Mental Health Services: Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough

Gill Furniss: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help improve access to mental health services in Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough constituency.

Dr Caroline Johnson: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

General Practitioners: Bradford South

Judith Cummins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if her Department will take steps to increase the availability of face-to-face GP appointments in Bradford South constituency.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

General Practitioners: Chesterfield

Mr Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department has provided additional (a) financial and (b) other support to help tackle (i) patient backlogs and (ii) increased workloads in GP surgeries in Chesterfield constituency.

Will Quince: The ‘Delivery plan for tackling the COVID-19 backlog of elective care’, published in February 2022, stated the ambition to reduce patient backlogs for planned National Health Service treatments and the government plans to spend more than £8bn from 2022/23 to 2024/25. We made £520 million available to expand general practice capacity during the pandemic. This was in addition to at least £1.5 billion announced in 2020 by 2024 which includes supporting increased workloads in general practitioner (GP) surgeries, including in Chesterfield. In September 2022, ‘Our plan for patients’ announced measures to support GP practices increase access and manage workloads, such as the provision of 31,000 phone lines and funding to expand the staff roles working in general practice, including in Chesterfield.

Dental Services: Rotherham

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of dental practices were rated as good by the Care Quality Commission in Rotherham constituency as of June 2022.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Health: Rotherham

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps her Department has taken to help tackle health inequality in Rotherham constituency.

Dr Caroline Johnson: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Diabetes: Hammersmith

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people were diagnosed with diabetes in Hammersmith constituency. in each of the last five years.

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people were diagnosed with diabetes in Weaver Vale constituency in each of the last five years.

Paula Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people were diagnosed with diabetes in Liverpool Wavertree constituency in each of the last five years.

Will Quince: The following table shows the number of people diagnosed with diabetes in Hammersmith constituency in each year from 2016 to 2020, by diabetes type. Type 1Type 2 and other201620420201730360201825375201920510202015320   The following table shows the number of people diagnosed with diabetes in Weaver Vale constituency in each year from 2016 to 2020, by diabetes type.  Type 1Type 2 and other201610315201720290201815365201915300202015265 The following table shows the number of people diagnosed with diabetes in Liverpool Wavertree constituency in each year from 2016 to 2020, by diabetes type. Type 1Type 2 and other201615385201730330201815430201920530202015275 Source: National Diabetes Audit

General Practitioners: Rotherham

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department has provided additional (a) financial and (b) other support to help tackle (i) patient backlogs and (ii) increased workloads in GP surgeries in Rotherham constituency.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Mental Health Services: Rotherham

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help improve access to mental health services in Rotherham constituency.

Dr Caroline Johnson: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

General Practitioners: Stretford and Urmston

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department has provided additional (a) financial and (b) other support to help tackle (i) patient backlogs and (ii) increased workloads in GP surgeries in Stretford and Urmston constituency.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Dental Services: Portsmouth South

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help improve access to NHS dental services in Portsmouth South constituency.

Will Quince: In September, we announced ‘Our plan for patients’, which outlines how we will meet oral health needs and increase access to dental care, including in Portsmouth South.The plan includes improvements to ensure dentists are renumerated fairly for more complex work, allowing greater flexibility to reallocate resources and to utilise dentists with greater capacity to deliver National Health Service treatment, whilst enabling full use of the dental team. The plan also includes streamlining processes for overseas dentists and holding the local NHS to account for dentistry provision. In addition, Health Education England is also reforming dental education to improve the recruitment and retention of dental professionals.

NHS: Greater London

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her department is taking to help tackle NHS workforce shortages in healthcare trusts in southeast London.

Robert Jenrick: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

General Practitioners: Eltham

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support her Department has provided to GP surgeries in Eltham constituency to help tackle increased workloads.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Dementia: Health Services

Sir Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had recent discussions with local health systems on returning dementia care plan reviews to pre-pandemic levels.

Neil O'Brien: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Dental Services: Plymouth Sutton and Devonport

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to increase the number of NHS dentist appointments available for people in Plymouth Sutton and Devonport constituency.

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of cases of people conducting their own dentistry procedures in England.

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many emergency NHS dental cases recorded in Plymouth were caused by a person attempting to fix their own dental issue in the last six months.

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average number of daily calls made to emergency NHS dental services in Plymouth was in the last six months.

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many NHS dental practices in (a) Devon and (b) Cornwall are accepting new (i) adult and (ii) child patients.

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made of the level of patient satisfaction in respect of NHS dentistry services in England.

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer on 05 July 2022 to Question 25955 on Dental Services in the South West, (a) how much of the £4,726,000 funding made available to the South West region for the final quarter of 2021-22 to provide urgent care for patients was spent and (b) what the breakdown of spending was by local authority.

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will set out the £4,726,000 funding made available to provide urgent dental care in the South West region for the final quarter of 2021-22 by local authority.

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many dentists delivered NHS care in each year since 2010 in each region of England.

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for each year since 2010, how many and what proportion of adults Plymouth City Council local authority boundary area have seen a dentist in the previous in the last 2 years.

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of children in the Plymouth City Council local authority boundary area saw a dentist every twelve months in each of the past 10 years.

Will Quince: The information requested on patient attendance at practices, which dental practices are currently accepting new patients and the funding of National Health Service dental services is not held in the format requested. Patients are registered with a practice for the duration of a course of treatment and can receive care from any practice with available appointments.Data on the additional £50 million provided for NHS dental services in 2021/22 is not held in the format requested. However, there was expenditure of £629,148 in the South West region. Analysis of data on this additional funding shows that activity was targeted at lower income patients and those with urgent needs, although expenditure by local authority is not held centrally.While regional data on the number of dentists delivering NHS care since 2011 is collected, this data shows information at the former strategic health authority level and does not show information by the current regional structure. The GP Patient Survey Dental Statistics from January and March 2022 shows that 78% of respondents rated their NHS dental experience as positive. The Dental Access Centre in Devon receives an average of 7,000 urgent dental calls a month or approximately 350 calls per day. No central assessment of the level of cases of people conducting their own dentistry procedures in England has been made.In September, we announced ‘Our plan for patients’, which outlines how we will meet oral health needs and increase access to dental care, including in Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport.

Dementia: Diagnosis

Sir Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress her Department has made on reaching the national target of 66.7 per cent for dementia diagnosis rates.

Neil O'Brien: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

HIV Infection

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answers of 28 September 2022 to Questions 49751 and 49752 on HIV Infection, whether (a) her Department and (b) the UK Health Security Agency plans to carry out a formal assessment.

Dr Caroline Johnson: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

General Practitioners: Lancaster and Fleetwood

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if her Department will take steps to increase the availability of face-to-face GP appointments in Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency.

Will Quince: On 22 September 2022, we announced ‘Our plan for patients’, which contains measures to assist people make an informed choice on their general practitioner (GP) practice, book an appointment more easily, benefit from more care options and increase the diversity of general practice teams. This aims to increase the availability of appointment types, such as face-to-face, in England, including in Lancaster and Fleetwood. NHS England’s guidance states that GP practices must provide face to face appointments and remote consultations and should respect preferences for face-to-face care unless there are good clinical reasons to the contrary.  While remote consultations can provide additional choice, flexibility and convenience for patients, this is not suitable for all patients or in all circumstances.

Cancer: Medical Treatments

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department’s policies of the potential closure of clinical trial units for cancer treatment.

Will Quince: The clinical trial units are not closing.

General Practitioners: Wirral South

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of GP practices open in Wirral South constituency in (a) 2013 and (b) 11 October 2022.

Will Quince: In September 2013, there were 11 practices registered in Wirral South and there are 10 practices registered in October 2022.Practices close for a variety of reasons, including practice mergers or retirement and a reduction in practice numbers does not represent a reduction in the quality of care. When a practice does close, patients are informed and advised to register at another local practice of their choice. Practices and commissioners must put in place appropriate measures to ensure that affected patients have access to general practitioner services.

Breast Cancer: Eltham

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the uptake of breast cancer screening in Eltham constituency.

Will Quince: The Department is working with NHS England to finalise the delivery of £10 million for breast screening units, including determining which areas will benefit from this investment.National Health Service breast screening providers are also encouraged to work with Cancer Alliances, Primary Care Networks, NHS regional teams and the voluntary sector to promote the uptake of breast screening and ensure access to services.

General Practitioners: Putney

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of GP surgeries were rated as good by the Care Quality Commission in Putney constituency as of September 2022.

Will Quince: As of 13 October 2022, 12 or 92.3% of general practitioner practices in Putney are rated by the Care Quality Commission as ‘good’ overall.

Breast Cancer: Stockton North

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the uptake of breast cancer screening in Stockton North constituency.

Will Quince: The Department is working with NHS England to finalise the delivery of £10 million for breast screening units, including determining which areas will benefit from this investment.National Health Service breast screening providers are also encouraged to work with Cancer Alliances, Primary Care Networks, NHS regional teams and the voluntary sector to promote the uptake of breast screening and ensure access to services.

General Practitioners

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that people are able to get an immediate appointment with their GP when a case is deemed to be of a worrying nature.

Will Quince: ‘Our plan for patients’, published on 22 September 2022, aims to improve access to general practice and assist patients to make informed choices on which practice meets their needs. We expect that patients who need an appointment within two weeks should receive one and patients with urgent needs should be seen on the same day. In August 2022, 44.6% of appointments took place on the same day as it was booked, excluding COVID-19 vaccinations. In some cases, it may be appropriate for a practice to direct a patient to accident and emergency or to dial 999.

General Practitioners: Telemedicine

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that more people can receive a face-to-face appointment at their GP surgery.

Will Quince: NHS England guidance states that general practitioner (GP) practices must provide face-to-face appointments alongside remote consultations and should respect preferences for face-to-face care unless there are good clinical reasons to the contrary. In August 2022, 66.1% of appointments were conducted face-to-face, excluding COVID-19 vaccinations. This is an increase from 57.5% in August 2021.Remote consultations can provide additional choice, flexibility and convenience for patients. However, a blended offer of face to face and remote consultations is important because remote access is not suitable for all patients or in all circumstances. On 22 September 2022, we announced ‘Our plan for patients’, which contains measures to assist people make an informed choice on their general practitioner (GP) practice, book an appointment more easily, benefit from more care options and increase the diversity of general practice teams.

Breast Cancer: Plymouth Sutton and Devonport

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the uptake of breast cancer screening in Plymouth Sutton and Devonport constituency.

Will Quince: The Department is working with NHS England to finalise the delivery of £10 million for breast screening units, including determining which areas will benefit from this investment.National Health Service breast screening providers are also encouraged to work with Cancer Alliances, Primary Care Networks, NHS regional teams and the voluntary sector to promote the uptake of breast screening and ensure access to services.West Devon Breast Screening is currently achieving the 70% uptake standard and aims to increase this to 80% through timed appointments to streamline the screening process.

General Practitioners: Bradford South

Judith Cummins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department has provided additional (a) financial and (b) other support to help tackle (i) patient backlogs and (ii) increased workloads in GP surgeries in Bradford South constituency.

Will Quince: The ‘Delivery plan for tackling the COVID-19 backlog of elective care’, published in February 2022, stated the ambition to reduce patient backlogs for planned National Health Service treatments and the Government plans to spend more than £8 billion from 2022/23 to 2024/25. We made £520 million available to expand general practice capacity during the pandemic. This was in addition to at least £1.5 billion announced in 2020 by 2024 which includes supporting increased workloads in general practitioner (GP) surgeries, including in Bradford South. In September 2022, ‘Our plan for patients’ announced measures to support GP practices increase access and manage workloads, such as the provision of 31,000 phone lines and funding to expand the staff roles working in general practice, including in Bradford South.

Leukaemia: Health Services

Zarah Sultana: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Leukaemia Care's Left to #WatchWaitWorry campaign, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policy of that campaign; and whether the Government will take additional steps to support patients who are on watch and wait advice for leukaemia.

Will Quince: We are committed to ensuring that all leukaemia patients have access to holistic needs assessments, personalised care and support planning and personalised care interventions. These ensure care focuses on what matters most to each patient, whilst empowering them to self-manage where appropriate and provide a rapid route back into the healthcare system if they notice any worrying changes or need to seek help. The personalised care programme also includes ensuring patients receive high quality information.In 2020/2021 Health Education England made 250 training grants available for existing and aspiring clinical nurse specialists (CNSs). The 2021 National Cancer Patient Experience Survey found that of 1,662 respondents with leukaemia, 88.5% reported that they received a named contact to support them through their cancer treatment, with 79.3% reporting that this was a CNS.

Long Covid: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if her Department will take steps to collect data on the number of cases of myalgic encephalomyelitis that have been triggered by a Covid-19 infection.

Will Quince: The Department does not intend to collect this data.

Breast Cancer: Walsall South

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the uptake of breast cancer screening in Walsall South constituency.

Will Quince: The Department is working with NHS England to finalise the delivery of £10 million for breast screening units, including determining which areas will benefit from this investment.National Health Service breast screening providers are also encouraged to work with Cancer Alliances, Primary Care Networks, NHS regional teams and the voluntary sector to promote the uptake of breast screening and ensure access to services.

Dental Services: Stockton North

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help improve access to NHS dental services in Stockton North constituency.

Will Quince: No specific assessment has been made. However, NHS England asked dental practices to return to full delivery of contracted activity from July 2022, including in Stockton North. In September, we announced ‘Our plan for patients’, which outlines how we will meet oral health needs and increase access to dental care, including in Stockton North.The plan includes improvements to ensure dentists are renumerated fairly for more complex work, allowing greater flexibility to reallocate resources and to utilise dentists with greater capacity to deliver National Health Service treatment, whilst enabling full use of the dental team. The plan also includes streamlining processes for overseas dentists and holding the local NHS to account for dentistry provision. In addition, Health Education England is also reforming dental education to improve the recruitment and retention of dental professionals.

Diabetes: Children

Munira Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to provide all children who have type one diabetes with (a) insulin pumps and (b) continuous glucose monitoring through the NHS in (i) Twickenham constituency and (ii) England.

Will Quince: Diabetes care is commissioned by local Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), which are responsible for developing commissioning policies. ICBs must have due regard to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guidance. However, local decision making applies on the implementation of this guidance.NHS England supports and encourages local National Health Service partners to adopt NICE’s guidelines for the diagnosis and management of type 1 diabetes in children and young adults and the use of intermittently scanned glucose monitoring devices, real-time continuous glucose monitors.

General Practioners: Lancaster and Fleetwood

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of GP surgeries were rated as good by the Care Quality Commission in Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency as of 13 October 2022.

Will Quince: As of 13 October 2022, four or 66.7% of general practitioner practices in Lancaster and Fleetwood are rated by the Care Quality Commission as ‘good’ overall.

Dental Services: Portsmouth South

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the NHS dentist provision in Portsmouth South constituency.

Will Quince: No specific assessment has been made. However, NHS England asked dental practices to return to full delivery of contracted activity from July 2022, including in Portsmouth South. In September, we announced ‘Our plan for patients’, which outlines how we will meet oral health needs and increase access to dental care, including in Portsmouth South.The plan includes improvements to ensure dentists are renumerated fairly for more complex work, allowing greater flexibility to reallocate resources and to utilise dentists with greater capacity to deliver National Health Service treatment, whilst enabling full use of the dental team. The plan also includes streamlining processes for overseas dentists and holding the local NHS to account for dentistry provision. In addition, Health Education England is also reforming dental education to improve the recruitment and retention of dental professionals.

Dental Services: Somerset

David Warburton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to improve access to NHS dentistry in (a) Somerton and Frome constituency and (b) Somerset.

Will Quince: In September, we announced ‘Our plan for patients’, which outlines how we will meet oral health needs and increase access to dental care, including in Somerton and Frome and in Somerset.The plan includes improvements to ensure dentists are renumerated fairly for more complex work, allowing greater flexibility to reallocate resources and to utilise dentists with greater capacity to deliver National Health Service treatment, whilst enabling full use of the dental team. The plan also includes streamlining processes for overseas dentists and holding the local NHS to account for dentistry provision. In addition, Health Education England is also reforming dental education to improve the recruitment and retention of dental professionals.

Breast Cancer: Lancaster and Fleetwood

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the uptake of breast cancer screening in Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency.

Will Quince: The Department is working with NHS England to finalise the delivery of £10 million for breast screening units, including determining which areas will benefit from this investment.National Health Service breast screening providers are also encouraged to work with Cancer Alliances, Primary Care Networks, NHS regional teams and the voluntary sector to promote the uptake of breast screening and ensure access to services.

General Practitioners: Wirral South

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of FTE Fully qualified GPs, excluding GPs in Training Grade, practicing in Wirral South in (a) 2013 and (b) on 11 October 2022.

Will Quince: This information is not collected in the format requested.

Dental Services: Bradford South

Judith Cummins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many children under the age of (a) four and (b) eleven were admitted to hospital for a tooth extraction due to decay in Bradford South constituency in each of the last five years.

Will Quince: This information is not held in the format requested.

NHS: Dental Services

Matt Rodda: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what immediate support her Department will offer to people unable to find an NHS dentist accepting new patients in their area.

Will Quince: There are no geographical restrictions on which practice a patient may attend. NHS England’s Customer Contact Centre or NHS 111 can also advise patients seeking urgent care. During the pandemic, over 750 urgent care centres were available to provide National Health Service dental care to patients and many of these are still in operation and can be accessed via NHS 111.

Chronic Illnesses: Accident and Emergency Departments

Nadia Whittome: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department plans to take steps to improve primary care support for people with chronic health issues in order to alleviate pressure on A&E departments.

Will Quince: ‘Our plan for patients,’ published on 22 September 2022, aims to improve access general practice, assist patients make informed choices on the appropriate general practitioner (GP) practice for their needs practice and benefit from the care options available. This includes patients with chronic health issues and we expect that patients who require an appointment within two weeks should receive one and that patients with urgent needs should be seen on the same day.Under the new medicines service, community pharmacies can offer people who have been newly prescribed certain medicines with additional support and reduce pressure on GPs and hospitals. The majority of services for those with long term chronic conditions are commissioned locally by integrated care boards, with NHS England directly commissioning some specialised services.

Breast Cancer: Putney

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the uptake of breast cancer screening in Putney constituency.

Will Quince: The Department is working with NHS England to finalise the delivery of £10 million for breast screening units, including determining which areas will benefit from this investment.National Health Service breast screening providers are also encouraged to work with Cancer Alliances, Primary Care Networks, NHS regional teams and the voluntary sector to promote the uptake of breast screening and ensure access to services.

Cancer: Health Services

Sally-Ann Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when her Department will publish the 10 year cancer plan.

Will Quince: On 7 September, the Government confirmed our commitment to publishing a 10 year cancer plan. The plan will be in line with other Government strategies and is being developed following the call for evidence held earlier this year, which received 5,000 responses. Further details will be announced shortly.

Cancer: Children

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to improve diagnosis rates for childhood cancer.

Will Quince: The NHS Long Term Plan commits to improve the outcomes and experience of children, teenagers and young adults with cancer through implementing networked care; simplifying pathways and transitions between service; ensuring that every patient has access to specialist care and increasing participation in clinical research.NHS England published two new service specifications relating to the provision of children’s cancer services. The specifications include requirements to establish Children’s Cancer Operational Delivery Networks, which will enable care pathway management and the delivery of the NHS Long Term Plan ambitions for children’s cancer. The updated specifications increase support for clinical networks and include a requirement to improve the pathways to diagnosis.The National Health Service now offers whole genome sequencing to enable more comprehensive and precise diagnosis and access to more personalised treatments for all children and young people with cancer.

Breast Cancer: Exeter

Mr Ben Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the uptake of breast cancer screening in Exeter constituency.

Will Quince: The Department is working with NHS England to finalise the delivery of £10 million for breast screening units, including determining which areas will benefit from this investment.National Health Service breast screening providers are also encouraged to work with Cancer Alliances, Primary Care Networks, NHS regional teams and the voluntary sector to promote the uptake of breast screening and ensure access to services.

Dental Services: Rotherham

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help improve access to NHS dental services in Rotherham constituency.

Will Quince: In September, we announced ‘Our plan for patients’, which outlines how we will meet oral health needs and increase access to dental care, including in Rotherham.The plan includes improvements to ensure dentists are renumerated fairly for more complex work, allowing greater flexibility to reallocate resources and to utilise dentists with greater capacity to deliver National Health Service treatment, whilst enabling full use of the dental team. The plan also includes streamlining processes for overseas dentists and holding the local NHS to account for dentistry provision. In addition, Health Education England is also reforming dental education to improve the recruitment and retention of dental professionals.

General Practitioners

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many full time equivalent doctors have (a) entered and (b) left General Practice in England in each of the last three years.

Will Quince: The following table shows the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) qualified permanent general practitioners (GPs), excluding GPs in training grades and locums, who have left and joined practice in each year from from March 2019 to March 2022.FTE leaversFTE joinersMarch 2021 to March 20222,1372,285March 2020 to March 20211,9372,341March 2019 to March 20202,2272,171 Notes:Figures do not contain estimates for practices which did not provide fully valid records.It is not recommended that comparisons be made between quarterly or monthly figures due to the unknown effect of seasonality on workforce numbers. Therefore, the latest comparable data available is March 2022.Figures shown do not include GPs working in prisons, army bases, educational establishments, specialist care centres including drug rehabilitation centres, walk-in centres and other alternative settings outside of traditional general practice such as urgent treatment centres and minor injury units.FTE refers to the proportion of full time contracted hours that the post holder is contracted to work. ‘1’ would indicate they work a full set of hours (37.5), 0.5 that they worked half time.Data shows GPs who joined and/or left the cohort workforce between the beginning and end of each specified time period.Due to data quality, a GP recorded as a leaver in these figures may have left one practice and joined another practice with poor data completion. In instances such as this, a GP will be incorrectly recorded as a leaver due to the identifying information no longer being present in the dataset. Conversely, a GP could appear in the practice cohort as a joiner but may have joined from a practice with poor data completion rather than being a new addition to the GP workforce.

Dental Services: Plymouth

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to improve access to NHS dentistry services in Plymouth.

Will Quince: In September, we announced ‘Our plan for patients’, which outlines how we will meet oral health needs and increase access to dental care, including in Plymouth.The plan includes improvements to ensure dentists are renumerated fairly for more complex work, allowing greater flexibility to reallocate resources and to utilise dentists with greater capacity to deliver National Health Service treatment, whilst enabling full use of the dental team. The plan also includes streamlining processes for overseas dentists and holding the local NHS to account for dentistry provision. In addition, Health Education England is also reforming dental education to improve the recruitment and retention of dental professionals.

Ophthalmic Services: Special Educational Needs

David Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if her Department will publish further information on future plans for the NHS Special Schools Eye Care Service.

David Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many special schools are currently in receipt of the NHS Special Schools Eye Care Service; and how many children attend those schools.

Will Quince: There are 83 special schools with approximately 9,324 children who have participated in the NHS England’s Special Schools Eye Care Service proof of concept programme. NHS England is currently evaluating the programme to inform the future of any special schools’ sight testing service model and will set out the further information in due course.

Breast Cancer: Nottingham South

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the uptake of breast cancer screening in Nottingham South constituency.

Will Quince: The Department is working with NHS England to finalise the delivery of £10 million for breast screening units, including determining which areas will benefit from this investment.National Health Service breast screening providers are also encouraged to work with Cancer Alliances, Primary Care Networks, NHS regional teams and the voluntary sector to promote the uptake of breast screening and ensure access to services.

General Practioners: York

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate her Department has made of the proportion of GP appointments conducted face-to-face in (a) York and (b) York Central constituency in (i) the past 12 months and (ii) 2013.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of GP appointments in (a) York and (b) York Central constituency in (i) the past 12 months and (ii) in 2013.

Will Quince: No specific estimate has been made as this information is not collected in the format requested. However, in the twelve months to August 2022, there were 10 million general practice appointments in the NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care System area, excluding COVID-19 vaccinations, of which 67.5% were conducted face-to-face.

Cancer: Health Services

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will ensure that the Cancer Plan is integrated with her Plan for Patients.

Will Quince: On 7 September, the Government confirmed our commitment to publishing a 10 year cancer plan. The plan will be in line with other Government strategies and is being developed following the call for evidence held earlier this year, which received 5,000 responses. Further details will be announced shortly.

General Practitioners: Easington

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if her Department will take steps to increase the availability of face-to-face GP appointments in Easington constituency.

Will Quince: On 22 September 2022, we announced ‘Our plan for patients’, which contains measures to assist people make an informed choice on their general practitioner (GP) practice, book an appointment more easily, benefit from more care options and increase the diversity of general practice teams. This aims to increase the availability of appointment types, such as face-to-face, in England, including in Easington. NHS England’s guidance states that GP practices must provide face to face appointments and remote consultations and should respect preferences for face-to-face care unless there are good clinical reasons to the contrary.  While remote consultations can provide additional choice, flexibility and convenience for patients, this is not suitable for all patients or in all circumstances.

Dental Services: Reading East

Matt Rodda: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will take urgent steps to improve the (a) availability and (b) quality of NHS dental treatment in Reading East.

Will Quince: In September, we announced ‘Our plan for patients’, which outlines how we will meet oral health needs and increase access to dental care, including in Reading East. The plan includes improvements to ensure dentists are renumerated fairly for more complex work, allowing greater flexibility to reallocate resources and to utilise dentists with greater capacity to deliver National Health Service treatment, whilst enabling full use of the dental team. The plan also includes streamlining processes for overseas dentists and holding the local NHS to account for dentistry provision. In addition, Health Education England is reforming dental education to improve the recruitment and retention of dental professionals.There is a regulatory system for NHS dentistry, including the General Dental Council and the Care Quality Commission which ensure that standards of care are met. If patients wish to make a complaint about a dentist or dental practice, it should be raised with the practice the first instance within 12 months of receiving treatment. Patients can also contact NHS England, which is responsible for NHS dental services.

Breast Cancer: Stretford and Urmston

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the uptake of breast cancer screening in Stretford and Urmston constituency.

Will Quince: The Department is working with NHS England to finalise the delivery of £10 million for breast screening units, including determining which areas will benefit from this investment.National Health Service breast screening providers are also encouraged to work with Cancer Alliances, Primary Care Networks, NHS regional teams and the voluntary sector to promote the uptake of breast screening and ensure access to services.

Long Covid: Research

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the research by the Office for National Statistics entitled Prevalence of ongoing symptoms following coronavirus (COVID-19) infection in the UK, published on 1 September 2022, whether her Department has had discussions with the Office for National Statistics on the reasons for which myalgic encephalomyelitis was not included as a potential long-term complication of Covid-19.

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of whether myalgic encephalomyelitis should be included in the list of potential long-term complications from covid-19 on the NHS website.

Will Quince: There have been no specific discussions and we have no plans to make such an assessment. The long term effects of COVID-19 and myalgic encephalomyelitis re separate conditions as defined by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

General Practitioners: Blackburn

Kate Hollern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help support the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of GPs in Blackburn.

Will Quince: We are working with NHS England, Health Education England and the profession to increase the general practice workforce in England, including in Blackburn. This includes measures to improve recruitment, address the reasons why doctors leave the profession and encourage them to return to practice.The updated GP Contract Framework announced a number of new schemes, alongside continued support for existing recruitment and retention schemes for the general practice workforce. This includes the GP Retention Scheme, the GP Retention Fund, the National GP Induction and Refresher, the Locum Support Scheme, the New to Partnership Payment and the Supporting Mentors Scheme. General practitioners in Lancashire and South Cumbria also have access to the national GP Career Support Hub. It provides information, guidance and support on career development, learning, mentoring, appraisals, career options and flexibility, wellbeing, pay and pensions.

General Practitioners: Hornsey and Wood Green

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if her Department will take steps to increase the availability of face-to-face GP appointments in Hornsey and Wood Green constituency.

Will Quince: On 22 September 2022, we announced ‘Our plan for patients’, which contains measures to assist people make an informed choice on their general practitioner (GP) practice, book an appointment more easily, benefit from more care options and increase the diversity of general practice teams. This aims to increase the availability of appointment types, such as face-to-face, in England, including in Hornsey and Wood Green. NHS England’s guidance states that GP practices must provide face to face appointments and remote consultations and should respect preferences for face-to-face care unless there are good clinical reasons to the contrary.  While remote consultations can provide additional choice, flexibility and convenience for patients, this is not suitable for all patients or in all circumstances.

General Practitioners: Wirral South

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate her Department has made of the proportion of GP appointments in Wirral South constituency conducted face-to-face in the past 12 months and what the figure was in 2013.

Will Quince: This information is not collected in the format requested. However, in the 12 months up to August 2022, 60.2% of general practice appointments were recorded as conducted face-to-face in the Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System area, excluding COVID-19 vaccinations.

General Practitioners: Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of full-time equivalent fully qualified GP's, practicing in Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle constituency in (a) the most recent period for which data is available, and (b) 2013.

Will Quince: This information is not collected in the format requested.

Dental Services: Hammersmith

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many children under the age of (a) four and (b) 11 were admitted to hospital for a tooth extraction due to decay in Hammersmith constituency in each of the last five years.

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many children under the age of (a) four and (b) 11 were admitted to hospital for a tooth extraction due to decay in Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle in each of the last five years.

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many children under the age of (a) four and (b) 11 were admitted to hospital for a tooth extraction due to decay in Weaver Vale constituency in each of the last five years.

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many children under the age of (a) four and (b) 11 were admitted to hospital for a tooth extraction due to decay in Plymouth Sutton and Devonport constituency in each of the last five years.

James Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many children under the age of (a) four and (b) 11 were admitted to hospital for tooth extraction due to decay in Ealing North in each of the last five years.

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many children under the age of (a) four and (b) 11 were admitted to hospital for a tooth extraction due to decay in Washington and Sunderland West constituency in each of the last five years.

Will Quince: This information is not held in the format requested.

General Practitioners: Standards

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 11 October 2022 to Question 54662 on General Practitioners: Standards, whether it is her expectation that the two week target is measured from the first time that a patient requests an appointment.

Will Quince: The NHS Digital General Practice Appointment Data is published monthly and measures the length of time between when an appointment is booked and when it takes place.

General Practitioners: Batley and Spen

Kim Leadbeater: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if her Department will take steps to increase the availability of face-to-face GP appointments in Batley and Spen constituency.

Will Quince: On 22 September 2022, we announced ‘Our plan for patients’, which contains measures to assist people make an informed choice on their general practitioner (GP) practice, book an appointment more easily, benefit from more care options and increase the diversity of general practice teams. This aims to increase the availability of appointment types, such as face-to-face, in England, including in Batley and Spen.NHS England’s guidance states that GP practices must provide face to face appointments and remote consultations and should respect preferences for face-to-face care unless there are good clinical reasons to the contrary.  While remote consultations can provide additional choice, flexibility and convenience for patients, this is not suitable for all patients or in all circumstances.

Dental Services: Bradford South

Judith Cummins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what percentage of dental practices were rated as good by the Care Quality Commission in Bradford South constituency as of September 2022.

Judith Cummins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help improve access to NHS dental services in Bradford South constituency.

Will Quince: In September, we announced ‘Our plan for patients’, which outlines how we will meet oral health needs and increase access to dental care, including in Bradford South. The plan includes improvements to ensure dentists are renumerated fairly for more complex work, allowing greater flexibility to reallocate resources and to utilise dentists with greater capacity to deliver National Health Service treatment, whilst enabling full use of the dental team. The plan also includes streamlining processes for overseas dentists and holding the local NHS to account for dentistry provision. In addition, Health Education England is also reforming dental education to improve the recruitment and retention of dental professionals.The Care Quality Commission does not currently rate providers of primary dental care services.

Dental Services: Washington and Sunderland West

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of dental practices were rated as good by the Care Quality Commission in Washington and Sunderland West constituency as of 12 October 2022.

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of dental practices were rated as good by the Care Quality Commission in Weaver Vale constituency as of 1 January 2022.

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of dental practices were rated as good by the Care Quality Commission in Plymouth Sutton and Devonport constituency as of the most recent date for which data is available.

Mr Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of dental practices were rated as good by the Care Quality Commission in Chesterfield constituency.

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of dental practices were rated as good by the Care Quality Commission in Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency as of 13 October 2022.

Will Quince: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) does not currently rate providers of primary dental care services. The CQC publishes an assessment against five ‘key aspects’ which determine whether a dental provider is meeting its regulatory requirements. These are: - Treating people with respect and involving them in their care;- Providing care, treatment and support that meets people's needs;- Caring for people safely and protecting them from harm;- Staffing; and- Quality and suitability of management. The CQC’s website allows the public to search by service type and location to find local dentists and profiles, which display the regulatory performance and inspection reports.

General Practitioners: Ealing North

James Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate her Department has made of the proportion of GP appointments in Ealing North conducted face-to-face in the past 12 months; and what that figure was in 2013.

Will Quince: This information is not collected in the format requested. However, in the twelve months up to August 2022, 59.7% of appointments were conducted face-to-face in the North West London Integrated Care System area, excluding COVID-19 vaccinations.

Dental Services: Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the NHS dentist provision in Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle constituency.

Will Quince: No specific assessment has been made. In September, we announced ‘Our plan for patients’, which outlines how we will meet oral health needs and increase access to dental care, including in Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle.The plan includes improvements to ensure dentists are renumerated fairly for more complex work, allowing greater flexibility to reallocate resources and to utilise dentists with greater capacity to deliver National Health Service treatment, whilst enabling full use of the dental team. The plan also includes streamlining processes for overseas dentists and holding the local NHS to account for dentistry provision. In addition, Health Education England is also reforming dental education to improve the recruitment and retention of dental professionals.

NHS: Complaints

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to ensure that the scoping process for reviewing complaints about complex cases (a) is improved and (b) involves the complainant.

Will Quince: There are provisions in place in The Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009 on how complaints are to be reviewed and complainants involved. Following the receipt of a complaint, the NHS organisation must offer to discuss with the complainant how the complaint will be handled and when the investigation is likely to be completed. During the investigation, the complainant must be kept informed of the progress of the investigation, as far as reasonably practicable.

General Practitioners: Chesterfield

Mr Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if her Department will take steps to increase the availability of face-to-face GP appointments in Chesterfield constituency.

Will Quince: On 22 September 2022, we announced ‘Our plan for patients’, which contains measures to assist people make an informed choice on their general practitioner (GP) practice, book an appointment more easily, benefit from more care options and increase the diversity of general practice teams. This aims to increase the availability of appointment types, such as face-to-face, in England, including in Chesterfield. NHS England’s guidance states that GP practices must provide face to face appointments and remote consultations and should respect preferences for face-to-face care unless there are good clinical reasons to the contrary.  While remote consultations can provide additional choice, flexibility and convenience for patients, this is not suitable for all patients or in all circumstances.

Dental Services: Walsall South

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help improve access to NHS dental services in Walsall South constituency.

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the NHS dentist provision in Walsall South constituency.

Will Quince: No specific assessment has been made. However, NHS England asked dental practices to return to full delivery of contracted activity from July 2022, including in Walsall South. In September, we announced ‘Our plan for patients’, which outlines how we will meet oral health needs and increase access to dental care, including in Walsall South.The plan includes improvements to ensure dentists are renumerated fairly for more complex work, allowing greater flexibility to reallocate resources and to utilise dentists with greater capacity to deliver National Health Service treatment, whilst enabling full use of the dental team. The plan also includes streamlining processes for overseas dentists and holding the local NHS to account for dentistry provision. In addition, Health Education England is also reforming dental education to improve the recruitment and retention of dental professionals.

General Practitioners: Hammersmith

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of GP practices open in Hammersmith constituency. today and what the number was in 2013.

Will Quince: In September 2013, there were 21 practices registered in Barking and 20 practices are registered in October 2022.Practices close for a variety of reasons, including practice mergers or retirement and a reduction in practice numbers does not represent a reduction in the quality of care. When a practice does close, patients are informed and advised to register at another local practice of their choice. Practices and commissioners must put in place appropriate measures to ensure that the affected patients have access to general practitioner services.

Rare Diseases: Health Services

Peter Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many applications have been made to form Rare Disease Collaborative Networks in the last 12 months.

Will Quince: Five applications for Rare Disease Collaborative Networks were received and approved in the last 12 months.

Breast Cancer: Streatham

Bell Ribeiro-Addy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the uptake of breast cancer screening in Streatham constituency.

Will Quince: The Department is working with NHS England to finalise the delivery of £10 million for breast screening units, including determining which areas will benefit from this investment.National Health Service breast screening providers are also encouraged to work with Cancer Alliances, Primary Care Networks, NHS regional teams and the voluntary sector to promote the uptake of breast screening and ensure access to services.

Rare Diseases: Health Services

Peter Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department will allocate funding to support the establishment and operation of Rare Disease Collaborative Networks in the 2023 Rare Disease Action Plan.

Will Quince: We have no plans to do so. Trusts may receive tariff rates for activity based on NHS England’s contractual and funding framework in place for the duration of the Rare Disease Collaborative Networks.

Breast Cancer: Portsmouth South

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the uptake of breast cancer screening in Portsmouth South constituency.

Will Quince: The Department is working with NHS England to finalise the delivery of £10 million for breast screening units, including determining which areas will benefit from this investment.National Health Service breast screening providers are also encouraged to work with Cancer Alliances, Primary Care Networks, NHS regional teams and the voluntary sector to promote the uptake of breast screening and ensure access to services.

Rare Diseases: Drugs

Peter Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the England Rare Diseases Action Plan 2022, what estimate she has made of when NHS England and NHS Digital will publish the annual report on uptake of drugs for patients with rare diseases.

Will Quince: The annual report will be published by the end of the 2022/23 financial year.

Breast Cancer: Birmingham Yardley

Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the uptake of breast cancer screening in Birmingham Yardley constituency.

Will Quince: The Department is working with NHS England to finalise the delivery of £10 million for breast screening units, including determining which areas will benefit from this investment.National Health Service breast screening providers are also encouraged to work with Cancer Alliances, Primary Care Networks, NHS regional teams and the voluntary sector to promote the uptake of breast screening and ensure access to services.

NHS: Standards

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to ensure that the recommendations of the Francis Report are still implemented in local NHS organisations.

Will Quince: We have implemented a statutory duty of candour which requires all hospital trusts to inform patients if their safety has been compromised and to apologise. This is overseen by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) which can take enforcement action in cases of non-compliance. We have reviewed the CQC’s quality and safety regulations to increase its powers, including the introduction of the CQC’s rating system to provide the public with greater clarity on the safety and quality of services. There are also legal protections for whistle-blowers who raise safety concerns, in addition to Freedom to Speak Up Guardians in all hospital trusts supported by a National Guardian. In addition to the implementation of these recommendations, we are establishing the Health Services Safety Investigations Body in 2022 as a new independent arm’s length body to conduct safety investigations into the most serious patient safety incidents in the National Health Service and the independent sector. We are implementing a NHS Patient Safety Strategy to create a safety and learning culture in the NHS work and appointing Patient Safety Commissioner in relation to medicines and medical devices.

Care Homes: Liverpool Wavertree

Paula Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of care homes were rated as good by the Care Quality Commission in Liverpool Wavertree constituency as of October 2022.

Neil O'Brien: As of 13 October, 10 (90.9 per cent) out of 11 care homes were rated good overall by CQC in the Liverpool, Wavertree constituency.

Care Homes: Lancaster and Fleetwood

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of care homes were rated as good by the Care Quality Commission in Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency as of 13 October 2022.

Neil O'Brien: As of 13 October, 21 (77.8 per cent) out of 27 care homes were rated good overall by CQC in the Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency.

Public Health: Rural Areas

Anne Marie Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason public health grant funding per person is often less in rural local authorities.

Dr Caroline Johnson: The Public Health Grant’s distribution is weighted towards areas facing the greatest population health challenges. The allocation of funding on a per capita basis would not take account of different levels of need. All local authorities received an increase to the Public Health Grant in 2021/22 and a 2.8% increase in 2022/23 and the Grant will continue to increase during the Spending Review period.

Care Homes: Chesterfield

Mr Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of care homes were rated as good by the Care Quality Commission in Chesterfield constituency.

Neil O'Brien: As of 13 October, 27 (64.3 per cent) out of 42 care homes were rated good overall by CQC in the Chesterfield constituency.

Health Services: Temperature

Navendu Mishra: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, in the context of recent record-high temperatures, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on taking steps to prevent temperature-related deaths.

Dr Caroline Johnson: There are regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues relating to health and social care, including the prevention of temperature-related deaths. The Department and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) are raising awareness with health professionals, organisations and individuals to plan, mitigate and respond to hot weather episodes effectively.The materials related to hot weather risks supporting the Heatwave Plan for England have been updated and provide sector specific guidance on actions to safeguard patients and service users. The Plan is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/heatwave-plan-for-england The 2022 heatwave communications toolkit and social media assets have been shared with the UKHSA’s regional communications teams, cross-Government partners and local government. In April 2022, a stakeholder event was held with approximately1,000 participants from the health and social care sector and other Government departments to raise awareness of early mitigating actions.

Health: Hornsey and Wood Green

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps her Department has taken to help tackle health inequality in Hornsey and Wood Green constituency.

Dr Caroline Johnson: ‘Our plan for patients’, published on 22 September, sets out the immediate priorities to support individuals to live healthier lives, such as improving access to health and care services and preventing ill-health, including in Hornsey and Wood Green. Further information on measures to address health disparities will be available in due course.The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities also works with services in Haringey to support programmes to reduce health inequalities, including providing evidence and intelligence.

Meat: EU Law

Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the proposals contained in the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill 2022 to set a date for the assimilation or repeal of remaining retained EU law, if she will take steps to ensure that standards on the accepted use of contaminants on meat, such as chlorine, in the UK are maintained after that date.

Dr Caroline Johnson: Lactic acid on bovine carcases is the only chemical treatment permitted in abattoirs to reduce surface contamination. The conditions of use are set down in retained Commission Regulation (EU) No 101/2013. The use of chlorine wash is not permitted. The United Kingdom will continue to require high animal welfare and health standards on farms. Robust food hygiene practices are applied throughout the food production chain to ensure that no single measure is responsible for the safety of food. This requirement applies to both food produced domestically and for import into the UK.

Obesity: Health Services

Mary Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the terms of reference of the internal review of the obesity strategy will be.

Dr Caroline Johnson: There are no terms of reference as this is a routine internal review.

Obesity: Health Services

Mary Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if it remains her policy to allocate £100 million funding toward for weight management services in 2023 and 2024.

Dr Caroline Johnson: Funding for weight management services for 2023/24 will be subject to normal annual business planning processes.

Preventive Medicine: Females

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the life course approach in the Women’s Health Strategy.

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department has taken to implement a life course approach to women’s health since the publication of the Women’s Health Strategy.

Dr Caroline Johnson: The life course approach identifies the critical stages, transitions and settings where there are opportunities to promote good health, prevent negative health outcomes and restore health and wellbeing. This has been adopted by the World Health Organization and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Our ambition is for women’s health policy and services to be developed for the needs of individual women, rather than based one specific issue or condition. We are considering the approach to implementation of the Women’s Health Strategy.

Life Expectancy: Wirral South

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of trends in the level of healthy life expectancy in Wirral South constituency.

Dr Caroline Johnson: No specific assessment has been made.‘Our plan for patients’, published on 22 September, sets out the immediate priorities to support individuals to live healthier lives, including improving access to health and care services in all areas and preventing ill-health. Further information on measures to address health disparities will be available in due course.

Mental Health Services: Ealing North

James Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help support the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of mental health specialists in Ealing North constituency.

Dr Caroline Johnson: The NHS Long Term Plan stated the aim of increasing the mental health workforce in England by an additional 27,000 professionals by 2023/24. NHS England and Health Education England are working with local integrated care systems, including in North West London, to confirm plans for service models, supply, retention and recruitment until 2024.NHS England continues to support local systems, including in North West London, to develop tailored health and wellbeing offers to meet the needs of the local mental health workforce. This includes mental health hubs in each integrated care system and occupational health services which are being supported through the Growing Occupational Health and Wellbeing national programme.

Mental Health Services: Schools

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the policy paper entitled Our plan for patients, published by her Department on 22 September 2022, if she will publish further information on the strengthened and expanded mental health support in schools.

Dr Caroline Johnson: Information about the number of operational and mobilising mental health support teams which will be in place in each integrated care system by the end of 2022/23, is available at the following link:www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/cyp/trailblazers

Food and Hygiene: Standards

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to maintain high standards on business (a) hygiene and (b) food safety in the result of associated regulations being removed.

Dr Caroline Johnson: The Government is ensuring that food safety, hygiene, standards and consumer protection are maintained. The powers set out in the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill will preserve and incorporate the necessary retained European Union regulations into domestic legislation before the proposed 2023 expiry.The Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland are participating in the review of all retained EU law within its area of responsibility and advises the Government and the devolved administrations as appropriate.

NHS: Standards

Matt Rodda: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the measures in the Government’s Our plan for patients plan announced in September 2022 will be implemented.

Robert Jenrick: ‘Our plan for patients’ commits to increase the number of 999 and 111 call handlers by December 2022, launch a £500 million Adult Social Care Discharge Fund for winter 2022/23, and open an additional 7,000 National Health Service beds. The relevant national statistics and published performance data will allow progress to be assessed and further information will be available in due course.

Integrated Care Systems

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she will take to incentivise the implementation of shared decision making across Integrated Care Systems.

Robert Jenrick: The Health and Care Act 2022 removed legislative barriers to joint decision-making by allowing specific National Health Service bodies to establish joint committees with local authorities, combined authorities and certain NHS bodies to exercise functions, including decision making.

Health Services and Social Services: Labour Turnover and Recruitment

Helen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of staff (a) recruitment and (b) retention in the (i) NHS and (ii) social care in (A) rural and (B) coastal areas of England.

Helen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to increase staff (a) recruitment and (b) retention in (i) the NHS and (ii) social care in (A) rural and (B) coastal areas of England.

Robert Jenrick: No specific assessment has been made. Within social care, local authorities are responsible for ensuring there is sufficient workforce capacity to meet the care needs of the local population. To support local authorities, we have established a £15 million international recruitment fund and a new domestic recruitment campaign will launch shortly. The Department has also commissioned NHS England to develop a long-term workforce plan for the National Health Service.The NHS People Plan sets out a range of actions to improve staff retention, such as creating a more inclusive culture through measures to address health and wellbeing, equality and diversity, culture and leadership and flexible working. NHS England is supporting local systems to develop tailored health and wellbeing offers to meet the needs of the workforce, including in rural and coastal areas. This includes the mental health hubs in each integrated care system and occupational health services which are being supported through a national programme, ‘Growing Occupational Health and Wellbeing’.

Psilocybin

Owen Thompson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment has she made of the potential (a) medical, (b) research and (c) mental health uses for psilocybin.

Robert Jenrick: There is no proven medical use for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapies such as psilocybin in the United Kingdom and no substance has yet been licensed as safe and effective in the treatment of mental health conditions. The licensing regime for controlled drugs allows legitimate medical research to take place with an appropriate licence and safeguards. The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), which has invested £1.1 million in a randomised controlled trial to examine the feasibility, safety and efficacy of the use of psilocybin in people with treatment-resistant depression. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including psychedelic-assisted psychotherapies.

NHS: Migrant Workers

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 21 September 2022 to Question 48396 on Hong Kong: Foreign Nationals, where in (a) the guidance by NHS Employers entitled Criminal Records Checks, published in May 2022 and (b) other guidance it is stated that employers are sometimes required to obtain Certificates of No Criminal Conviction.

Robert Jenrick: The NHS Employment Check Standards outlines the six mandated checks that National Health Service employers in England must consider when appointing to NHS positions. This includes where roles are eligible, any criminal record checks either through the Disclosure and Barring Service and where applicable, overseas police checks as aligned to the Home Office’s guidance. The standard does not specifically refer to ‘Certificates of No Criminal Convictions’ as this is specific to Hong Kong nationals and the guidance is not country specific.The Home Office provides national guidance on the type of checks which can be obtained from any overseas country and how these can be obtained. The guidance also outlines any legal requirement for overseas police checks to enable the Home Office to grant a skilled worker visa for those working in either health or education.

NHS

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of shared decision in supporting greater action on prevention and health inequalities as outlined in the NHS Long Term Plan.

Robert Jenrick: The Health and Care Act 2022 requires the creation of integrated care partnerships, which are designed to involve a wide range of partners in developing a shared integrated care strategy for addressing local needs. This will include local authority partners, the integrated care board, providers and other partners. Integrated care partnerships should consider population health, prevention and tackling health disparities when preparing these strategies, as set out in the statutory guidance.

Care Workers: Recruitment

Robert Largan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the policy paper entitled Our plan for patients, published by her Department on 22 September 2022, when the £15 million to help increase international recruitment of care workers will be made available; and how this funding will be distributed.

Robert Jenrick: We are committed to making the £15 million support fund available this year. The Department will launch the fund as soon as plans have been finalised.

NHS: Blackburn

Kate Hollern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) financial and (b) other steps her Department is taking to help tackle NHS workforce shortages in Blackburn constituency.

Robert Jenrick: The Department has commissioned NHS England to develop a long-term workforce plan. The plan will consider the number of staff and the roles required and will set out the actions and reforms needed to improve workforce supply and retention, including in Blackburn.

Joint Replacements: Surgery

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she is taking steps to increase the number of NHS surgeons able to conduct temporomandibular joint replacement surgery.

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many NHS surgeons are able to conduct temporomandibular joint replacement surgery as of 10 October 2022.

Robert Jenrick: The information requested is not collected centrally. Decisions on commissioning and training for this surgery are made locally by the National Health Service to meet the health needs of the local population.

Royal Berkshire Hospital: Construction

Matt Rodda: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress her Department has made with Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust on plans to rebuild the Royal Berkshire Hospital.

Robert Jenrick: A new hospital for Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust at the Royal Berkshire Hospital forms part of the Government’s new hospital programme. Delivery of the new hospitals is grouped into cohorts based on an assessment of readiness to progress and the extent to which new hospitals can benefit from advantages of delivery through a national programme. The new hospital for Royal Berkshire Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is in a later cohort, with delivery expected in the latter half of the decade.

South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

Matt Rodda: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of how effectively the South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust is responding to current pressures; and in what circumstances the Trust would take emergency measures, such as requesting military support.

Robert Jenrick: South Central Ambulance Service remains at Resource Escalation Action Plan (REAP) level 3. Escalation measures are taken under the REAP framework, which provides ambulance services with a coordinated approach to managing high demand or other situations which affect ambulance service response. REAP levels are kept under review by ambulance trusts, with a formal weekly decision taken based on the expected operating level for the next seven days, with the ability between to update this level based on changing information or intelligence.

Care Homes: General Practitioners

Peter Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of aligning individual GP practices with individual care homes in order to facilitate easy management of face to face appointments for residents in care homes.

Neil O'Brien: The Enhanced Health in Care Homes service specification for Primary Care Networks (PCNs) requires PCNs to ensure that every care home receives a weekly ‘home round’, delivered by a multidisciplinary team with appropriate medical input for residents who have been identified as a clinical priority for assessment and care.

Adult Social Care Discharge Fund

Ben Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the £500 million Adult Social Care Discharge Fund she announced on 22 September 2022, which organisations will receive this funding, and what proportion of the funding local authorities will receive.

Robert Largan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the policy paper entitled Our plan for patients, published by her Department on 22 September 2022, when the £500 million Adult Social Care Discharge Fund will be made available; and how this funding will be distributed.

Neil O'Brien: The Department is finalising the details of the Adult Social Care Discharge Fund. Further information will be available in due course.

Dementia: Health Services

Holly Mumby-Croft: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when she will publish the 10-year dementia strategy.

Neil O'Brien: We are reviewing plans for dementia in England and further information will be available in due course.

Numed Healthcare: Medical Equipment

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 28 July 2022 to Question 39768 on Numed Healthcare: Medical Equipment, whether Numed Inc Products has indicated to NHS Supply Chain whether it intends to stop importing any equipment specifically made for the treatment of children with heart disease.

Robert Jenrick: Numed Inc Products gave notice to NHS Supply Chain in August 2022 that there are two cardiac products it intends to discontinue in the European Union and the United Kingdom in February and May 2024. While two of these products are no procured through via NHS Supply Chain, it is engaging with the company to ensure that any products required remain available.

Podiatry: East Ham

Sir Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of (a) podiatry vacancy rates in the NHS in East Ham constituency and (b) the impact these vacancies will have on patient treatment for diabetic foot complications.

Dame Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made (a) podiatry vacancy rates in the NHS in Gosport constituency and (b) the impact these vacancies will have on patient treatment for diabetic foot complications.

Robert Jenrick: No specific assessment has been made as this information is not collected centrally.

Midwives

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate she has made of the number of (a) private and (b) NHS midwives working in each clinical commissioning group area.

Robert Jenrick: This information is not collected in the format requested. However, the following table shows the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) midwives employed in National Health Service hospital trusts and integrated care systems (ICSs) as at 30 June 2022. NHS region/ ICS  England21,541London4,144South East London ICS905North East London ICS926North Central London ICS773North West London ICS896South West London ICS644South West1,960Devon ICS374Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire ICS353Gloucestershire ICS224Somerset ICS200Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly ICS156Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICS423Dorset ICS229South East3,010Kent and Medway ICS727Frimley ICS301Sussex ICS508Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICS597Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West ICS549Surrey Heartlands ICS327Midlands3,993Herefordshire and Worcestershire ICS266Birmingham and Solihull ICS774Derby and Derbyshire ICS447Lincolnshire ICS200Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICS334Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICS211Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ICS200Northamptonshire ICS268Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICS458Black Country ICS445Coventry and Warwickshire ICS389East of England2,261Mid and South Essex ICS420Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICS346Suffolk and North East Essex ICS344Hertfordshire and West Essex ICS445Norfolk and Waveney ICS349Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICS357North West2,934Lancashire and South Cumbria ICS623Greater Manchester ICS1,342Cheshire and Merseyside ICS970North East and Yorkshire3,240South Yorkshire ICS548North East and North Cumbria ICS1,195Humber and North Yorkshire ICS523West Yorkshire ICS974 Source: NHS Hospital and Community Health Service (HCHS) monthly workforce statistics, NHS Digital Notes:FTE refers to the proportion of full time contracted hours that the post holder is contracted to work. ‘1’ would indicate they work a full set of hours, 0.5 that they worked half time.These data relate to the HCHS workforce directly employed in NHS trusts and other core organisations.

NHS: Rural Areas

Anne Marie Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to address rural workforce shortages.

Robert Jenrick: There are currently over 30,000 additional staff working in National Health Service provider trusts and commissioning bodies compared to July 2021, including a further 3,500 doctors and 9,100 nurses. We aim to deliver 50,000 nurses by the end of March 2024, with over 29,000 additional nurses working in the NHS now compared to September 2019. We also funded an increase of 1,500 undergraduate medical school places each year for domestic students in England and delivered five new medical schools in England.The Department has also commissioned NHS England to develop a long-term workforce plan. The plan will review the roles and staff numbers required, including in rural areas and the actions and reforms needed to improve recruitment and retention.

Patient Choice Schemes

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans she has to expand and measure the uptake of patient-initiated follow-up across the health system beyond March 2023 as set out in the NHS’s elective recovery plan published in February 2022.

Robert Jenrick: In May 2022, NHS England published ‘Implementing patient initiated follow-up. Guidance for local health and care systems’ (PIFU) to support all providers through the adoption and implementation of PIFU by March 2023. In addition, NHS England’s national and regional teams to work with providers to address challenges with its deployment. Providers are required to report and record PIFU activity through the Elective Recovery Outpatient Collection platform to evaluate the impact.

Surgery: Greater London

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her department is taking to reduce waiting times for elective surgeries at each healthcare trust in southeast London.

Robert Jenrick: The ‘Delivery plan for tackling the COVID-19 backlog of elective care’ how the National Health Service will recover and expand elective services over the next three years, including in south east London. We have allocated more than £8 billion from 2022/23 to 2024/25, in addition to the £2 billion Elective Recovery Fund and £700 million Targeted Investment Fund already made available in 2021/2022 to increase elective activity. This funding aims to deliver the equivalent of approximately nine million additional checks and procedures and 30% further elective activity by 2024/25 than pre-pandemic levels. A proportion of this funding will be invested in workforce capacity and training and we have committed to invest £5.9 billion for new beds, equipment and technology.The target to eliminate waiting times of two years or more for elective procedures was met in July 2022 and we aim to eliminate waiting time of eighteen months or more by April 2023. This will be achieved through increasing capacity, seeking alternate capacity in other trusts or the independent sector and engaging with patients to understand choices made regarding their care.

Surgery: Chesterfield

Mr Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce waiting times for elective surgeries in Chesterfield constituency.

Robert Jenrick: The ‘Delivery plan for tackling the COVID-19 backlog of elective care’ how the National Health Service will recover and expand elective services over the next three years, including in Chesterfield. We have allocated more than £8 billion from 2022/23 to 2024/25, in addition to the £2 billion Elective Recovery Fund and £700 million Targeted Investment Fund already made available in 2021/2022 to increase elective activity. This funding aims to deliver the equivalent of approximately nine million additional checks and procedures and 30% further elective activity by 2024/25 than pre-pandemic levels. A proportion of this funding will be invested in workforce capacity and training and we have committed to invest £5.9 billion for new beds, equipment and technology.The target to eliminate waiting times of two years or more for elective procedures was met in July 2022 and we aim to eliminate waiting time of eighteen months or more by April 2023. This will be achieved through increasing capacity, seeking alternate capacity in other trusts or the independent sector and engaging with patients to understand choices made regarding their care.

Surgery: Lancaster and Fleetwood

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce waiting times for elective surgeries in Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency.

Robert Jenrick: The ‘Delivery plan for tackling the COVID-19 backlog of elective care’ how the National Health Service will recover and expand elective services over the next three years, including in Lancaster and Fleetwood. We have allocated more than £8 billion from 2022/23 to 2024/25, in addition to the £2 billion Elective Recovery Fund and £700 million Targeted Investment Fund already made available in 2021/2022 to increase elective activity. This funding aims to deliver the equivalent of approximately nine million additional checks and procedures and 30% further elective activity by 2024/25 than pre-pandemic levels. A proportion of this funding will be invested in workforce capacity and training and we have committed to invest £5.9 billion for new beds, equipment and technology.The target to eliminate waiting times of two years or more for elective procedures was met in July 2022 and we aim to eliminate waiting time of eighteen months or more by April 2023. This will be achieved through increasing capacity, seeking alternate capacity in other trusts or the independent sector and engaging with patients to understand choices made regarding their care.

Surgery: Stretford and Urmston

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce waiting times for elective surgeries in Stretford and Urmston constituency.

Robert Jenrick: The ‘Delivery plan for tackling the COVID-19 backlog of elective care’ how the National Health Service will recover and expand elective services over the next three years, including in Stretford and Urmston. We have allocated more than £8 billion from 2022/23 to 2024/25, in addition to the £2 billion Elective Recovery Fund and £700 million Targeted Investment Fund already made available in 2021/2022 to increase elective activity. This funding aims to deliver the equivalent of approximately nine million additional checks and procedures and 30% further elective activity by 2024/25 than pre-pandemic levels. A proportion of this funding will be invested in workforce capacity and training and we have committed to invest £5.9 billion for new beds, equipment and technology.The target to eliminate waiting times of two years or more for elective procedures was met in July 2022 and we aim to eliminate waiting time of eighteen months or more by April 2023. This will be achieved through increasing capacity, seeking alternate capacity in other trusts or the independent sector and engaging with patients to understand choices made regarding their care.

Chronic Illnesses: Medical Treatments

Sir Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the number of private patients with long-term health conditions who have been unable to undertake (a) treatments and (b) therapies due to the cost of living; and if she will make a statement.

Robert Jenrick: No specific assessment has been made as data regarding private healthcare patients is not held centrally.

Hospital Beds: Social Services

Dame Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of (a) increasing ambulance delays and (b) the occupation of hospital beds by patients who are medically fit to leave but who cannot be accommodated by social and community care services; what recent assessment she has made of the level of pressure under which the NHS is operating; and if she will take steps to increase the social care workforce in order to ensure vulnerable people get the support they need.

Robert Jenrick: ‘Our plan for patients’ sets out action on ambulance handover delays and supporting National Health Service capacity with the equivalent of 7,000 additional beds. The Government announced £500 million for social care this winter to accelerate the safe discharge of patients from hospital and recruit and retain care workers to support people who no longer need to be in hospital.

Surgery: Putney

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce waiting times for elective surgeries in Putney constituency.

Robert Jenrick: The ‘Delivery plan for tackling the COVID-19 backlog of elective care’ how the National Health Service will recover and expand elective services over the next three years, including in Putney. We have allocated more than £8 billion from 2022/23 to 2024/25, in addition to the £2 billion Elective Recovery Fund and £700 million Targeted Investment Fund already made available in 2021/2022 to increase elective activity. This funding aims to deliver the equivalent of approximately nine million additional checks and procedures and 30% further elective activity by 2024/25 than pre-pandemic levels. A proportion of this funding will be invested in workforce capacity and training and we have committed to invest £5.9 billion for new beds, equipment and technology.The target to eliminate waiting times of two years or more for elective procedures was met in July 2022 and we aim to eliminate waiting time of eighteen months or more by April 2023. This will be achieved through increasing capacity, seeking alternate capacity in other trusts or the independent sector and engaging with patients to understand choices made regarding their care.

Social Services: Greater London

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many social care places there were in southeast London on 1 October (a) 2019 and (b) 2022; and what assessment she has made of the capacity of provision to meet future demand in that area.

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of social care capacity in Nottingham South constituency.

Bell Ribeiro-Addy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of social care capacity in Streatham constituency.

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of social care capacity in Putney constituency.

Neil O'Brien: No specific assessment has been made. Local authorities have a responsibility under the Care Act 2014 to ensure that the care needs of the local population are met.

Dementia

Olivia Blake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans she has to record and publish data on dementia sub-type prevalence in England.

Neil O'Brien: As there are over 200 subtypes of dementia, NHS England does not provide pathway guidance by subtype for dementia and has no plans to extract data in this format.

Social Services: Chesterfield

Mr Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of social care capacity in Chesterfield constituency.

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of social care capacity in Easington constituency.

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of social care capacity in Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency.

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of social care capacity in Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle constituency.

Neil O'Brien: No specific assessment has been made. Local authorities have a responsibility under the Care Act 2014 to ensure that the care needs of the population are met.

Memory Clinics

Olivia Blake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate she has made of the date by which the number of assessments carried out by Memory Assessment Services in England will return to pre-pandemic levels.

Neil O'Brien: No specific estimate has been made, as the number of assessments is collected locally by integrated care boards.

Mental Capacity: Equality

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 12 October to Question 55038, on Mental Capacity: Equality, if her Department will conduct an equality impact assessment on the operation of Deprivation of Liberty Orders.

Neil O'Brien: We have no plans to do so. We recently consulted on the proposals for the Liberty Protection Safeguards and published an equality impact assessment alongside this consultation.

Social Workers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data her department collects on regional and local variation in caseloads for social workers.

Neil O'Brien: The information requested is not held centrally.

Dementia: Diagnosis

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to increase the level of dementia diagnosis rates in England to the the national target of 66.7 per cent.

Neil O'Brien: In 2021/22, we made £17 million available to clinical commissioning groups to address dementia waiting lists and increase the number of diagnoses. This included identifying areas of good practice in dementia diagnosis and provision of pre and post diagnostic support, which will be shared with dementia clinical networks and stakeholders.

Care Homes: Hornsey and Wood Green

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of care homes were rated as good by the Care Quality Commission in Hornsey and Wood Green constituency.

Neil O'Brien: Of the nine care homes in the parliamentary constituency of Hornsey and Wood Green, eight or approximately 89% are rated as good by the Care Quality Commission.

Breast Cancer: Worsley and Eccles South

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the uptake of breast cancer screening in Worsley and Eccles South constituency.

Will Quince: The Department is working with NHS England to finalise the delivery of £10 million for breast screening units, including determining which areas will benefit from this investment. National Health Service breast screening providers are also encouraged to work with Cancer Alliances, Primary Care Networks, NHS regional teams and the voluntary sector to promote the uptake of breast screening and ensure access to services.

Dental Services: Batley and Spen

Kim Leadbeater: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the NHS dentist provision in Batley and Spen constituency.

Will Quince: No specific assessment has been made. However, NHS England asked dental practices to return to full delivery of contracted activity from July 2022, including in Batley and Spen. In September, we announced ‘Our plan for patients’, which outlines how we will meet oral health needs and increase access to dental care, including in Batley and Spen.The plan includes improvements to ensure dentists are renumerated fairly for more complex work, allowing greater flexibility to reallocate resources and to utilise dentists with greater capacity to deliver National Health Service treatment, whilst enabling full use of the dental team. The plan also includes streamlining processes for overseas dentists and holding the local NHS to account for dentistry provision. In addition, Health Education England is also reforming dental education to improve the recruitment and retention of dental professionals.

Dental Services: Batley and Spen

Kim Leadbeater: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help improve access to NHS dental services in Batley and Spen constituency.

Will Quince: No specific assessment has been made. However, NHS England asked dental practices to return to full delivery of contracted activity from July 2022, including in Batley and Spen. In September, we announced ‘Our plan for patients’, which outlines how we will meet oral health needs and increase access to dental care, including in Batley and Spen.The plan includes improvements to ensure dentists are renumerated fairly for more complex work, allowing greater flexibility to reallocate resources and to utilise dentists with greater capacity to deliver National Health Service treatment, whilst enabling full use of the dental team. The plan also includes streamlining processes for overseas dentists and holding the local NHS to account for dentistry provision. In addition, Health Education England is also reforming dental education to improve the recruitment and retention of dental professionals.

Wales Office

Wales Office: Disclosure of Information

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many subject access requests his Department has (a) received and (b) responded to within the statutory limit in the last five years.

Sir Robert Buckland: My Department has received two subject access requests in the last five years. One request was responded to within the statutory limit. The other request was sent to my Department in error and was forwarded to the Ministry of Justice as the correct Department to provide a response.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Global Fund, for what reason the Government did not make a pledge at the Seventh Replenishment event which took place on 19 September 2022; and whether the Government plans to make such a pledge.

Vicky Ford: The UK is proud to be the Global Fund's third largest donor historically, investing over £4.4 billion since 2002. I [Minister Ford] spoke at the pledging event about the UK's continued strong commitment to the Global Fund and our intention to make a pledge in the coming weeks. We will make a Written Ministerial Statement to Parliament before we make an announcement.

Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when her Department's review of future contributions to the Global Fund on tackling AIDS, TB and Malaria will be complete.

Vicky Ford: The UK is proud to be the Global Fund's third largest donor historically, investing over £4.4 billion since 2002. At the seventh replenishment pledging conference the UK committed to remain a strong supporter of the Global Fund. We plan to announce our pledge in the coming weeks.

International Planned Parenthood Federation and UN Population Fund

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he publish the (a) core and (b) non-core financial contributions to (i) UNFPA and (ii) IPPF in (A) 2018-19, (B) 2019/20 and (C) 2020/21.

Vicky Ford: Details of Official Development Assistance (ODA) contributions to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) from 2018 to 2020 are published by calendar year in the "Statistics on International Development (SID): final UK aid spend 2020 - Data underlying the SID publication" annex table under "Channel of delivery" here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statistics-on-international-development-final-uk-aid-spend-2020. Smaller partner organisations like IPPF are currently grouped under the "International NGO" label in the SID tables.However, all ODA contributions to partner organisations are published - within a few months - on the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) under UK aid programmes details. IATI data is fully accessible via multiple platforms such as https://devtracker.fcdo.gov.uk/ or https://d-portal.org/.

Spain: Visits Abroad

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the transparency data entitled FCDO ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings, April to June 2022, published by his Department on 29 September 2022, how much his Department spent on (a) flights, (b) accommodation, (c) meals and (d) other expenses excluding air travel during his predecessor's visit to Spain on 28 to 30 June 2022.

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the transparency data entitled FCDO ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings, April to June 2022, published by his Department on 29 September 2022, how much his Department spent on his predecessor's (a) accommodation, (b) meals and (c) other expenses excluding air travel during her visit to Australia on 18 to 23 January 2022; and whether another party contributed towards any of these costs.

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the transparency data entitled FCDO ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings, April to June 2022, published by his Department on 29 September 2022, how much his Department spent on his predecessor's (a) accommodation, (b) meals and (c) other expenses excluding air travel during her visit to (i) Lithuania and (ii) Belgium from 2 to 3 March 2022; and whether another party contributed towards any of these costs.

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the transparency data entitled FCDO ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings, April to June 2022, published by his Department on 29 September 2022, how much his Department spent on his predecessor's (a) accommodation, (b) meals and (c) other expenses excluding air travel during her visit to (i) Oman and (ii) India from 29 March to 1 April 2022; and whether another party contributed towards any of these costs.

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the transparency data entitled FCDO ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings, April to June 2022, published by his Department on 29 September 2022, how much his Department spent on his predecessor's (a) accommodation, (b) meals and (c) other expenses during her visit to Poland from 4 to 5 April 2022; and whether another party contributed towards any of these costs.

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the transparency data entitled FCDO ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings, April to June 2022, published by his Department on 29 September 2022, how much his Department spent on his predecessor's (a) accommodation, (b) meals and (c) other expenses during her visit to Belgium from 6 to 7 April 2022; and whether another party contributed towards any of these costs.

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the transparency data entitled FCDO ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings, April to June 2022, published by his Department on 29 September 2022, how much his Department spent on his predecessor's (a) accommodation, (b) meals and (c) other expenses excluding air travel during her visit to the Netherlands from 28 to 29 April 2022; and whether another party contributed towards any of these costs.

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the transparency data entitled FCDO ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings, April to June 2022, published by his Department on 29 September 2022, how much his Department spent on his predecessor's (a) accommodation, (b) meals and (c) other expenses excluding air travel during her visit to Germany from 12 to 15 May 2022; and whether another party contributed towards any of these costs.

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the transparency data entitled FCDO ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings, April to June 2022, published by his Department on 29 September 2022, how much his Department spent on his predecessor's (a) accommodation, (b) meals and (c) other expenses excluding air travel during her visit to Italy from 19 to 20 May 2022; and whether another party contributed towards any of these costs.

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to his Department’s declaration of ministerial travel published on 29 September 2022, whether the total cost to the public purse of his predecessor’s accommodation, meals and other expenses excluding air travel when visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina and Czechia from 25-27 May 2022 was £128.95; and who paid for any costs incurred above that amount.

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the transparency data entitled FCDO ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings, April to June 2022, published by his Department on 29 September 2022, how much his Department spent on his predecessor's (a) accommodation, (b) meals and (c) other expenses excluding air travel during her visit to (i) Turkey and (ii) Rwanda from 22 to 25 June 2022; and whether another party contributed towards any of these costs.

Jesse Norman: All FCDO transparency and freedom of information releases are published on gov.uk. Transparency data has been published in this way since 2009/2010. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/letter-from-the-prime-minister-on-government-transparency-and-open-data.It is standard practice across government to publish total overseas travel cost figures for Ministers. These can be found in our published Quarterly Transparency Returns.

Armenia: Azerbaijan

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with NATO allies on Azerbaijan's military advances in Armenia.

Leo Docherty: UK diplomats continue to work with international partners, including NATO allies, to support efforts to secure stability and security in the region. The UK Government has been clear that the outstanding matters between the parties can only be settled by peaceful negotiation and I reinforced this position with the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers on 15 and 17 September respectively.

Ukraine: Cereals

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the progress which has been made on repairing rail infrastructure in Ukraine to enable the transportation of grain.

Leo Docherty: The UK and Ukrainian Governments have regular discussions on the UK's support to Ukraine, including on damaged infrastructure. Network Rail recently assisted the Ukrainian rail authorities with surplus road vehicles and rail engineering tools for use in repairing damaged rail infrastructure. The UK has also provided a £10 million programme of support to Ukrainian Railways to enable the movement of grain by rail to ports and land borders. Additionally, the UK supported the development of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, under which over 7 million tonnes of grain and other foodstuffs have been exported from Ukrainian Black Sea ports.

Ukraine: Food Supply

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential long-term impact of damage to (a) farmland, (b) machinery and (c) livestock in Ukraine on food production in that country.

Leo Docherty: Russia's illegal and brutal invasion is destroying Ukraine's farms and infrastructure, with potentially long-term consequences. Russian bombing continues to ruin crops and damage railways and prevents Ukrainian grain from getting onto world food markets, contributing to global food insecurity. The UK is supporting Ukraine to mitigate the impacts of Russia's actions and help ensure it can export its grain. We have provided £10m for equipment to move grain by rail to neighbouring countries. We have also supported the Black Sea Grain Initiative, under which over 7 million tonnes of grain have been exported from Ukrainian Black Sea ports.

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has discussions with his Ukrainian counterpart on the August 2022 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference.

Leo Docherty: The Foreign Secretary has regular contact with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, to discuss a wide range of issues. The August 2022 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference was attended by the former Minister for Europe where he had discussions in the margins with Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Mykola Tochytskyy.

Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the merits of contributing to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.

Vicky Ford: The Global Fund is a high-performing organisation that, with partners, has saved 50 million lives to date. The Global Fund has contributed to a reduction in the mortality of AIDS, TB and malaria by over half since 2002 and plays a key role in ending the preventable deaths of the three diseases.The UK is a co-founder of the Global Fund and its third-largest donor historically, investing over £4.4 billion to date. At the seventh replenishment pledging conference, the UK committed to remain a strong supporter of the Global Fund and to announce our pledge in the coming weeks.

Politics and Government: Social Media

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will hold discussions with social media companies on taking steps to help improve the consistency of access to social media in (a) Iran, (b) Myanmar and (c) other countries during periods of heightened political tension.

Leo Docherty: We publicly oppose governments who restrict or disrupt access to the internet or mobile platforms all with the aim of frustrating the exercise of democratic rights online, and we condemn online attacks against women and girls, including journalists, political candidates, or others engaging in public debate who are targeted for their expression. We also remain troubled by the way in which social media platforms enable the promulgation of disinformation and hate speech against minorities, for example the Rohingya in Myanmar. We are committed to working with the international community and our partners, including social media platforms, to promote a free, open, peaceful and secure cyberspace and see digital freedom win out over digital authoritarianism.

Academic Technology Approval Scheme: Oxford East

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the number of applications for Academic Technology Approval Scheme Certificates was that were outstanding for 30 working days or more from applicants intending to study at HE institutions based in Oxford East.

Vicky Ford: The UK takes its responsibility towards countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and advanced conventional military technology seriously. The Academic Technology Approval Scheme is a thorough, necessary and proportionate tool to protect UK research from misappropriation and divergence to military programmes of concern. While we are aware of some delays in granting approvals during this peak period ahead of the beginning of the academic year, the vast majority of applications are processed within published timescales.

Kashmir: Development Aid

James Daly: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has taken steps to ensure that (a) Azad Jammu Kashmir and (b) Gilgit Baltistan receive a fair share of UK bilateral overseas development aid for Pakistan.

Vicky Ford: Our aid in Pakistan is allocated to UK strategic priorities, which include global health security; girls' education; climate change; human rights and freedom of religious belief. We work to ensure that UK aid in Pakistan is focused on the most vulnerable, while achieving the maximum impact.The FCDO maintains an online Development Tracker tool, which contains information about specific programming in Pakistan: https://devtracker.fcdo.gov.uk/

Sudan: Gold

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made a recent assessment of the extent of gold smuggling from Sudan by (a) people or organisations linked to the Wagner group and (b) other Russian actors; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of sanctioning Sudanese officials involved in facilitating that smuggling.

Gillian Keegan: The UK has repeatedly emphasised the negative influence of Russian activities in Africa, including reports of Wagner Group involvement in the exploitation of gold resources in Sudan. Gold extraction and smuggling operations represent a significant loss to Sudan given the current economic crisis following the 25 October coup and undermine effective resource governance. The FCDO Director for East and Central Africa raised the issue of malign Russian influence directly with the Sudanese authorities during a visit to Khartoum at the end of July. We will continue to condemn Russia's activities in Africa and will consider all options to prevent gold smuggling in Sudan, including sanctions. However, we do not speculate about future sanctions as to do so might reduce their impact.

Ukraine: Peace Negotiations

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Prime Minister's predecessor advised Ukraine's President Zelenskyy during his visit to Kyiv on 9 April 2022 to stop negotiations with Russia.

Leo Docherty: The former Prime Minister met President Zelenskyy in Kyiv on 9 April, where the leaders discussed support for Ukraine's long-term survival as a free and democratic country, military aid, and economic assistance.The former Prime Minister reiterated that the UK will do everything in its power to support Ukraine's fight against Russia's brutal and unprovoked invasion and ensure its long term security and prosperity.

Development Aid

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2022 to Written Question 142509, whether the FCDO annual report for financial year 2021-22 will include planned FCDO programme allocations for 2022-23.

Vicky Ford: The FCDO's Annual Report and Accounts for 2021-22 was published on 19 July 2022. Planned FCDO programme allocations for 2022-23 were not included.As a result of the government's response to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine and wider ODA pressures including the ODA-eligible expenditure incurred through the Afghan resettlement programme and the UK's support to people fleeing Ukraine, the original allocations would not be accurate, and it would be misleading to publish detailed disaggregated budgets. We are committed to transparency and will provide updates to spending plans in due course.

Algeria: Religious Freedom

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with Algerian authorities following reports of the arrest of members of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light group.

Gillian Keegan: The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all and promoting respect between different religious and non-religious communities. We regularly monitor the situation in Algeria for minority religious groups, including Ahmadis, and routinely meet stakeholders to better understand concerns. The Prime Minister's Special Envoy for FoRB, Fiona Bruce MP, raised the ability of religious minorities to freely practice their faith with the Algerian authorities during her visit to Algiers in September 2022. Then-Minister for North Africa, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, raised the case of the Ahmadis when he met the Minister of Religious Affairs in June 2022.

Alaa Abdel Fattah

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made for the implications of his policy of the decision of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention that British Citizen, Alaa Abd el-Fattah is arbitrarily detained in Egypt.

Gillian Keegan: Since his sentencing in December 2021, FCDO officials have consistently called on the Egyptian Government to grant consular access to Alaa Abd El-Fattah. The FCDO takes all allegations of human rights violations very seriously. In doing so we carefully consider all available information, including any opinions issued by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. The former Foreign Secretary confirmed that the FCDO had called for the release of Alaa Abd el-Fattah to Parliament on 22 June, and that the FCDO were doing everything they could to secure his release. The Foreign Secretary has since raised his case with Foreign Minister Shoukry on 21 September. We continue to support the family of Alaa Abd El-Fattah.

Alaa Abdel Fattah

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when the Government first informed the Egyptian authorities that Alaa Abd el-Fattah was a British citizen.

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government has taken to notify the Egyptian authorities of the British citizenship of Alaa Abd el-Fattah.

Gillian Keegan: Since his sentencing in December 2021, FCDO officials have consistently called on the Egyptian Government to grant consular access to Alaa Abd El-Fattah after his obtaining British citizenship. The first request was submitted to the Egyptian authorities on 20 December 2021. There have been a number of follow-up requests submitted at the highest levels. The Foreign Secretary raised his case with Foreign Minister Shoukry on 21 September and the previous Prime Minister raised the case with President Sisi during a call on 25 August. We continue to support the family of Alaa Abd El-Fattah.

Afghanistan: Repatriation

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to repatriate UK citizens in Afghanistan.

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the number of (a) UK Citizens and (b) their dependents, who remain in Afghanistan.

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assistance his Department is providing to the families of UK citizens in Afghanistan.

Gillian Keegan: Regular commercial flights to and from Afghanistan have resumed, simplifying travel to and from the country. The FCDO continues to advise against all travel to Afghanistan. However, British people are choosing to travel to Afghanistan, against FCDO travel advice, and they are able to leave by commercial means. It remains very difficult to give an exact figure of how many British nationals or their dependents are in Afghanistan. The situation is fluid with British nationals entering and leaving all the time. There are currently no British consular officials in Afghanistan and our ability to provide consular assistance in Afghanistan is severely limited. We have consular teams available in neighbouring countries who are able to offer limited remote consular support.

Nigeria: Malnutrition

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the levels of malnutrition among adults and children in north-west Nigeria; and if he will take steps with his global partners to help ensure a co-ordinated response to food insecurity in that region.

Gillian Keegan: Food insecurity and malnutrition are having a dire impact on Nigeria's poorest populations. 57% of children in North West Nigeria are stunted due to malnutrition according to the latest estimates. UNICEF estimates over half a million children in North West Nigeria have severe acute malnutrition, increasing risk of death up to 11 times.The UK is driving international support for the Nigerian Government to address the nutrition crisis, through continual awareness raising and lobbying. We are providing direct support to strengthen health systems and social safety nets, and improve basic health and nutrition services, including in some North West states. We are also providing immediate humanitarian aid to children facing acute malnutrition in the North East, where food insecurity is even higher.

South Sudan: Sexual Offences

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to HRC 51: UK Statement under Item 2 General Debate on Acting High Commissioner Oral Update, published on 20 September 2022, (a) what steps will he take to help ensure perpetrators of killings and sexual violence in South Sudan are held to account and (b) if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of creating a hybrid court in that country.

Gillian Keegan: South Sudan is an FCDO human rights priority country. The UK Government regularly raises concerns with South Sudanese authorities regarding impunity for those engaged in sub-national violence and sexual and gender based violence. Last week, the British Ambassador to South Sudan raised concerns with South Sudanese Government Ministers regarding ongoing violence in Upper Nile State and Unity State. The UK took a leading role in renewing the mandate of the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan and supported renewal of the UN Arms Embargo and Sanctions regime. We fund a Gender Adviser who works within the ceasefire monitoring mechanism to advise on prevention and reporting of conflict-related sexual violence. The UK has funded the establishment of mobile gender based violence (GBV) courts in two South Sudanese states and provided support to strengthen the GBV court in Juba.The UK supports the South Sudanese 2018 peace agreement as a vital mechanism for ensuring accountability, reconciliation, peace and justice in South Sudan. This includes Chapter V, which has provisions for the formation of a Hybrid Court for South Sudan.

Eritrea: Politics and Government

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of festivals organised by representatives of the Eritrean political party People’s Front for Democracy and Justice taking place in Europe; and what assessment he has made of the potential risk that money raised by these festivals could enable (a) Eritrea’s military activities in Ethiopia, (b) human rights abuses in Eritrea and (c) the use of illicit pressure on members of the Eritrean diaspora in pursuit of the payment of diaspora taxation.

Gillian Keegan: We have no information on the usage of any funds raised at events organised by the People's Front for Democracy and Justice.We would urge anyone with evidence that coercion has been used in pursuit of payment of the Eritrean diaspora tax to report this to the police.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Disclosure of Information

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many subject access requests his Department has (a) received and (b) responded to within the statutory limit in the last five years.

Gillian Keegan: The FCDO can provide the following data regarding the number of cases received and closed with statutory deadlines over the last 5 years. However, only the last two years are for the FCDO since it was established. The further 3 years are for the legacy FCO and DFID departments.YearNo of CasesClosed within statutory limitClosed202194387520201147011320191077610420181035910020171015098

Syria: Detainees

Alicia Kearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has discussed the treatment of Syrian detainees in Sednaya prison with her international counterparts; and whether he is taking steps to help secure the release of those detainees.

Gillian Keegan: We are appalled by the human rights situation in Syria, especially Sednaya. We are committed to highlighting the mistreatment of detainees in Sednaya prison. Since 2012 we have contributed over £14 million in support to gather evidence and assist victims of human rights abuses and violations. The UK is the penholder for the Syria Human Rights Council Resolution, which was adopted in September. We also use our position at the UN Security Council to draw international attention to the ongoing human rights violations in Syria, including within prisons. At the Security Council this month, we will call for the release of detainees and condemn these violations.

Iran: Human Rights

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to help support the human rights of Iranians during the current protests in that country.

Gillian Keegan: On Monday 10 October, the UK announced sanctions on Iran's so-called Morality Police and two of its leaders. The UK also imposed sanctions on five other leading officials for committing serious human rights violations in Iran. The Foreign Secretary said in a statement on 10 October, these sanctions send a clear message to the Iranian authorities, we will hold Iran account for its repression of women and girls and for the shocking violence inflicted on its own people. We have joined 52 other countries in a joint Human Rights Council statement urging restraint and accountability from Iranian law enforcement.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Disclosure of Information

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 21 September 2022 to Question 48277 on Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Disclosure of Information, when she plans to respond to the Subject Access Request FCDO reference DPR 2022/08995 submitted to her on 17 March 2022.

Gillian Keegan: On the 6 October the Information Rights Unit at the FCDO responded to your DPR request 2022/08995 with the Information identified to date. The FCDO also committed to identifying any further personal information held by our overseas posts and will provide this information to you as soon as possible.

Syria: Crimes against Humanity

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with his international counterparts to address alleged crimes against humanity in Sednaya prison in Syria.

Gillian Keegan: We are appalled by the human rights situation in Syria, especially Sednaya. We are committed to highlighting this issue. Since 2012 we have contributed over £14 million in support to gather evidence and assist victims of human rights abuses and violations. The UK is the penholder for the Syria Human Rights Council Resolution, which was adopted in September. We also use our position at the UN Security Council to draw international attention to the ongoing human rights violations in Syria, including within prisons. At the Security Council this month, we will call for the release of detainees and condemn these violations.

Iran: Human Rights

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his (a) international and (b) Iranian counterparts on human rights in Iran following recent protests in that country.

Gillian Keegan: The UK has joined the international community in clear condemnation of Iran's response to the protests. In his statement on 3 October, the Foreign Secretary underlined how the UK is working with our partners to hold Iran to account, including via Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly. On 3 October, the Foreign Secretary instructed the FCDO to summon Iran's most senior diplomat in the UK to condemn the violent crackdown on protests following Mahsa Amini's death. We continue to raise our concerns at every opportunity, with the Iranian Embassy in London and via our Ambassador in Tehran.

Bahrain: Security

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the meeting of 27 April 2022 between the Bahraini Minister of Interior, Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah AlKhalifa, and the HM Ambassador to Bahrain, Roddy Drummond, when border security training and training programmes for reformation and rehabilitation personnel were discussed, which government is funding that training; and which Government departments are implementing those training programmes.

Gillian Keegan: Potential training cooperation for Border Force and Reform and Rehabilitation Centre officers was discussed during this meeting. However, there are currently no training programmes on either subject being delivered.

Australia and New Zealand : Visits Abroad

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, (a) which government ministers have been provided with overnight accommodation within the UK's embassies or consulates in (i) Australia and (ii) New Zealand in each calendar year from 2017 to 2022, and (b) in each case, in which city was that accommodation provided, and for how many nights.

Gillian Keegan: The information requested is provided in the below table. In each case, all accommodation was in Wellington (New Zealand), or Canberra (Australia). There are no UK Government facilities for hosting visitors in other cities in either country.YearMinisterLength of StayAustralia - Canberra2017No visits to CanberraN/A2018No visits to CanberraN/A2019former Trade Secretary1 night2020No visits - C-19N/A2021No visits - C-19N/A2022COP President2 nightsNew Zealand - Wellington2017former Foreign Secretary1 night2017former Trade Secretary1 night2018former Asia and the Pacific Minister1 night2019former Trade Secretary1 night2020No visits - C-19N/A2021No visits - C-19N/A2022former Asia Minister1 night2022former COP President2 nights

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his (a) Indian and (b) Pakistani counterparts on the August 2022 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference.

Gillian Keegan: The Foreign Secretary has not discussed this with his Indian or Pakistani counterparts. India and Pakistan are non-signatories to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and did not attend the August 2022 review conference. We regularly encourage India and Pakistan to accede to the NPT.

Iran: Detainees

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department recognises (a) British nationals and (b) dual Iranian-British nationals detained by the Iranian government as state hostages.

Gillian Keegan: The UK does not, and never will, accept our nationals being used as diplomatic leverage.  It remains in Iran's gift to release any British National who has been unfairly detained. We urge the Government of Iran to stop its practice of unfairly detaining British and other foreign nationals, and we will continue to work with like-minded partners to that end.

Ministers' Private Offices

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much money from the public purse was spent by his Department in the financial years (a) 2018-19, (b) 2019-20, (c) 2020-21 and (d) 2021-22 on furnishing and decorating the private offices occupied by his predecessors during those years.

Gillian Keegan: No furniture has been supplied or redecoration taken place in the timeframes mentioned to the Foreign Secretary's office in King Charles Street.

Dr Abduljalil AlSingace

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs with reference to the joint-letter from 15 leading NGOs including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy on imprisoned human rights activist and academic Dr Abduljalil AlSingace, if he will make it his policy to implement the actions in that letter.

Gillian Keegan: We continue to follow and discuss the case of Dr Abduljalil al-Singace, and others as necessary, with the Bahraini Government as well as with the independent oversight bodies. This was done most recently in September 2022. We welcome the clarification provided by the Bahrain Embassy in its release of 23 August, and its post on Twitter on 28 September.

Chevening

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether any public money was spent by his Department on carpets, curtains, wallpaper, bedding or furniture for the Chevening Estate in the financial years (a) 2018-19, (b) 2019-20, (c) 2020-21 and (d) 2021-22.

Gillian Keegan: Costs relating to Chevening are met through an independent trust and the FCDO do not hold this information.

Members: Correspondence

Sir Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when his Minister of State for South and Central Asia, North Africa, UN and the Commonwealth plans to respond to correspondence of the Hon. Member for North Herefordshire of 21 June and 5 September.

Gillian Keegan: We are grateful to the Honourable member for bringing this matter to our attention. We apologise for the delay and will work to expedite a response.

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the state parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in August 2022 not reaching a consensus agreement.

Leo Docherty: The Review Conference was unable to agree an outcomes document solely because Russia blocked consensus over references to Ukraine. However, the Conference did advance discussions of the Treaty's three pillars and agreed to set up a working group to strengthen the review process. The Treaty remains the cornerstone of the nuclear non-proliferation regime. The UK is proud of its contributions to the Treaty's success including our track record on nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear technology. We will continue this work into the next review cycle. On 12 October, a Written Ministerial Statement was published on the Review Conference.

Libya: IRA

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he or his predecessors last discussed the provision of compensation to UK-based victims of Libyan-sponsored IRA terrorism with his Libyan counterpart; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Keegan: The UK Government reiterates its sympathy for UK victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism and for all victims of the Troubles. The then Minister for the Middle East and North Africa set out the Government's position on compensation for UK victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism in a Written Ministerial Statement made on 23 March 2021. The responsibility for providing compensation specifically for the actions of the Qadhafi regime lies with the Libyan State. The Government has repeatedly urged the Libyan authorities, including at the highest levels of the Libyan government, to engage with UK victims and their representatives, and to address their claims for compensation.

Ministry of Justice

Social Security Benefits: Appeals

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of Upper Tribunal appeals made against a decision made by the social security tribunal were funded by legal aid in each year since 2015.

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what was the total cost to the public purse of legal aid funding for Upper Tribunal appeals against a decision made by the social security tribunal in each year since 2015.

Gareth Johnson: We do not hold the information requested regarding the proportion of upper tribunal appeals made against a decision by the social security tribunal which were funded by legal aid in each year since 2015. We can answer the second question on Legal aid expenditure for Upper Tribunal appeals against a decision made by the social security tribunal in each year since 2015. This data is set out in the table below:Financial YearVolumeExpenditure, £2014-1516946,028.412015-1622057,356.882016-17481150,102.782017-18453144,750.902018-19337118,980.412019-2020355,327.552020-2113038,729.962021-2213151,423.31General expenditure in the civil category, which would include Upper Tribunal appeal cases in the Social Security category is published as part of LAA official quarterly statistics: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/legal-aid-statistics-quarterly-april-to-june-2022.

Administration of Justice: Autism

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to Answer of 22 September to Question 49643, if HM Courts & Tribunals Service do not record the number of people with autism who have requested a reasonable adjustment in relation to their autism or otherwise have told the agency that they have autism, what steps he is taking to assess the adequacy of the reasonable adjustments made.

Gareth Johnson: HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) considers each reasonable adjustment request it receives on an individual needs basis. The adequacy of each reasonable adjustment will therefore be tailored to these individual needs and are not subject to a standardised assessment.

Cammell Laird: Strikes

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions (a) Ministers and (b) senior officials in his Department had on the 1984 Cammell Laird shipyard dispute with (i) other Government departments, (ii) the GMB trade union and (iii) other stakeholders between 1997 and 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Mike Freer: Due to the passage of time and in line with retention periods, there are no records of communications between 1997 and 2007 regarding the Cammell Laird Strike of 1984.

Emergency Services: Crimes of Violence

Ellie Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been (a) prosecuted (b) found guilty (c) sentenced to prison for offences under the Assaults on Emergency Workers Act 2018 in (a) 2021 and (b) 2022, broken down by gender and ethnicity.

Rachel Maclean: The Ministry of Justice publishes these figures on an annual basis on the GOV.UK website in the Magistrates' court data tool (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 17.1 MB) and the Crown Court data tool (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 8.42 MB) as part of the Criminal Justice System statistics quarterly: December 2021 publication published in May 2022. However, in the course of ongoing modernisation of our data processing, we have identified an issue resulting in undercounting convictions for the offence in the Crown Court each year. This is highlighted in the ‘known issues’ tab of the above link and, as a result, the Crown Court data tool is missing 501 convictions in 2019, 1,149 in 2020 and 1,570 in 2021.Therefore, the total number of defendants prosecuted for assaulting an emergency worker in England Wales in 2021 was 17,043, with 14,992 convictions in the same year.The sentencing outcomes, ethnicities, and sex breakdowns for those convicted at Crown Court are affected by this processing issue and we are working to rectify this in time for our year to June data, published in November 2022.Figures in the magistrates’ court data tool are not affected by the data processing issue – this includes prosecutions, convictions and sentencing at magistrates’ court as well as those sent for trial or committed for sentence at the Crown Court.

Ministry of Justice: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his Department’s Transparency Data online publication of spending over £500 using a government procurement card, what was the purpose of the payments made to Julian Mellor of (a) £3,000 on 22-23 March 2021, (b) £2,597.60 on 21 April 2021 and (c) £1,500 on 24 June 2021.

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to his Department’s transparency data online publication of spending over £500 using a government procurement card, what was the purpose of the payments of (a) £1,315.40 made to Elizabeth Beach Resort on 11 March 2020, (b) £2,359.51 made to La Playa Hotel on 17 March 2020, (c) £1,182.66 made to Simpson Bay Resort on 18 March 2020 and (d) £1,389.41 made to La Vue on 24 March 2020.

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to his Department’s transparency data online publication of spending over £500 using a government procurement card, what was the purpose of the payments of (a) £4,018.80 made to Positive Media Promotions on 15 September 2020, and (b) 2,130.90 made to the Promotion Company on 21-23 September 2020.

Rachel Maclean: The payments made to the merchant ‘JULIANMELLO’ were for sports courses provided to prisoners for the purpose of promoting wellbeing. There is no record of transactions with ‘JULIANMELLO’ on 22-23 March 2021 and it is assumed that the question refers to the transactions dated 29 – 31 March 2021 of the same total value.The payments made to the merchants ‘ELIZABETH BEACH RESO’, ‘LA PLAYA HOTEL’, ‘LA VUE’ and ‘SIMPSON BAY RESORT’ were accommodation for staff while working in British Overseas Territories.The payments made to the merchant ‘POSITIVE MEDIA PROMOTI’ were for 850 USB cables provided to staff as part of a virtual conference.The payments made to the merchant ‘THE PROMOTION COMPANY’ were water bottles provided to staff who were required to wear PPE during a COVID outbreak.We are content that the referenced payments were subject to normal MoJ controls and in line with government procurement card policy and was an appropriate use of public money.

Offenders: Rehabilitation

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the (a) rehabilitation, (b) employment and (c) reablement programmes provided by HM Prison and Probation Service.

Rob Butler: We are investing £550 million to rehabilitate offenders by getting them off drugs and into work and stable accommodation.Between April 2021 and March 2022, the proportion of prisoners released from custody employed at six months rose by almost two thirds.Together with NHS England, we are continuing to improve services in prison to ensure that people have access to timely and effective mental health care that is tailored to their needs. This will be reflected in the new National Partnership Agreement on health and social care in England, which is due to be published shortly, and the refreshed NHS England mental health service specification for prisons, which will be rolled out by April 2023.

Parole System Root and Branch Review

Dr Luke Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent progress his Department has made on implementing the reforms in the Root and Branch Review of the Parole System published on 30 March 2022.

Rachel Maclean: We have increased Ministerial oversight of moves of certain prisoners to open prisons and introduced a process for Ministers to submit a view on release.We have allowed for some parole hearings to be held in public and commenced a testing phase for victims to attend parole hearings if they wish.Reforms to the release process, including the Ministerial power to refuse release, require primary legislation. We will introduce this when parliamentary time allows.

Office of the Public Guardian: Correspondence

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of when the Office of the Public Guardian will reply to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare of (a) 14 July and (b) 5 September 2022 on behalf of his constituentJeremy Gwyn-Williams.

Rachel Maclean: I can confirm the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) has received the letters from the Hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare. OPG sent a response to the letters, including an apology for the delay, on Wednesday 12 October.The current backlog in Lasting Power of Attorney applications has led to an increase in correspondence, including from MPs, which means responses are taking longer than usual. The teams responding to correspondence have been taking steps to improve turnaround times, including working overtime and making processes more efficient.I appreciate the impact that delays are having on families and applicants and I am taking a close interest in improving the performance of this organisation.

Ministry of Justice: Disclosure of Information

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many subject access requests his Department has (a) received and (b) responded to within the statutory limit in the last five years.

Rachel Maclean: In the last five years, the department has:a) received 33,932 subject access requests,b) responded to 28,052 within the statutory limit.

Abortion

Dame Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will carry out a review of the criminal sanctions associated with abortion.

Rachel Maclean: The Government has no current plans to review the offences relating to abortion in England and Wales, under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 or the Infant Life (Preservation) Act 1929.

Victims' Commissioner: Resignations

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on justice of the resignation of the Victims Commissioner for England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Rachel Maclean: A recruitment campaign to appoint the next Commissioner is already underway and applications for the position closed on Monday 10 October. The Secretary of State for Justice will set out next steps in due course, but we are committed to ensuring that the voices of victims and witnesses continue to be heard while an appointment is made.

Prison Accommodation

Tom Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of prison places.

Rob Butler: We have a significant prison build programme, delivering safe, secure and modern prison places across the country. More than 3,100 places have already been delivered.As part of this, we are building brand new prisons with a design focused on security and rehabilitation, supporting family ties and resettlement into the community. These include HMP Five Wells which opened earlier this year and was the first of its design to be built; HMP Fosse Way near Leicester which is due to open next year; and a new prison next to the existing HMP Full Sutton where construction has started, and the prison is due to open in 2025.

Department for International Trade

Foreign Investment in UK and Overseas Trade: India

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, What recent discussions she has had with her Indian counterpart on increasing (a) trade with and (b) foreign direct investment from India.

Greg Hands: The United Kingdom’s trading relationship with India was worth over £24 billion last year and we are already India’s top investment destination in Europe. My Rt Hon. Friend for Berwick-upon-Tweed, the former Secretary of State for International Trade engaged with her Indian counterpart in August, and her successor, my Rt. Hon. Friend for Saffron Walden, has already spoken with him.With a 1.4 billion population and an increasing demand for high quality products and services, India is a clear trading priority for the UK. Together, we have already reduced trade barriers ranging from medical devices to Scotch whisky and Welsh lamb.We remain determined to strengthen our economic cooperation with India.

UK Trade with EU: Telephone Services

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51515 on UK Trade with EU: Telephone Services and with reference to the Answer of 18 November 2021 to Question 74918, when the number of full-time agents employed by the Export Support Services Contact Centre reduced from 24; and what the average agent utilisation rate was (a) before and (b) after this change.

Mr Marcus Fysh: The utilisation performance for the service has been provided to the Rt. Hon Member for Islington South and Finsbury in answers to Question 151022 and Question 51515. A decision was taken in June 2022 to not extend the Export Support Service Helpline, so the contract expired effective from the 07 October 2022. For the duration of the contract, active steps were taken to manage utilisation.

UK Trade with EU: Telephone Services

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51512 on UK Trade with EU: Telephone Services, what action was taken with respect to the approximately (a) 367 calls in April, (b) 151 calls in May, (c) 128 calls in June, (d) 108 calls in July, (e) 77 calls in August and (f) 64 calls in September 2022, that are not accounted for by the figures provided in the Answer of 28 September 2022 to Question 51514.

Mr Marcus Fysh: The data used to answer Question 51514 was taken from the supplier’s Customer Relationship Management system, whereas the data used to answer Question 51512 is taken from the supplier’s telephony system. As the contract expired on 07 October 2022, we do not have access to the supplier’s telephony system to provide the breakdown as requested.

UK Trade with EU: Telephone Services

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September to Question 51514 on UK Trade with EU: Telephone Services, what action was taken with respect to the (a) 8 per cent of enquiries in April, (b) 6 per cent of enquiries in May, (c) 9 per cent of enquiries in June, (d) 6 per cent of enquiries in July, (e) 7 per cent of enquiries in August and (f) 8 per cent of enquiries in September, that were neither resolved using the knowledge bank nor referred to the digital enquiry team.

Mr Marcus Fysh: The enquiries which were not resolved using the knowledge bank or referred to the digital enquiry team were referred to another government department to provide a response.

Trade Advisory Groups

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether a Government Minister attended the Trade and Sustainable Development Domestic Advisory Group meeting on 7 September 2022.

Greg Hands: The Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) Domestic Advisory Group (DAG) met for the first time on 7 September 2022. This provided stakeholders and senior Department for International Trade (DIT) officials with an opportunity to discuss the implementation of our non-EU free trade agreement TSD chapters, and for the group to agree how it will work going forward. The relevant DIT Minister was engaged throughout the process of establishing the DAG and appointing DAG members but was unable to join the inaugural meeting: DIT’s Director General for Trading Systems attended. Ministers regularly engage stakeholders across multiple forums.

Trade Advisory Groups

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, when did each individual Trade Advisory Group last meet.

Greg Hands: Each of the 11 Trade Advisory Groups (TAGs) met most recently on the following dates: Automotive, Aerospace & Marine – 27th April 2022Agri-Food – 12th May 2022British Manufactured and Consumer Goods – 23rd June 2022Chemicals – 19th July 2022Creative Industries – 21st September 2022Financial Services – 7th March 2022Investment – 19th May 2022Life Sciences – 10th June 2022Professional Advisory Services – 18th May 2022Telecoms & Technology – 5th May 2022Transport Services – 21st June 2022 All TAG members are also invited to attend Advisory Group Updates. The most recent were: Developing Countries Trading Scheme Update – 1st September 2022UK – Gulf Cooperation Council Free Trade Agreement Update – 27th September 2022

Church Commissioners

Church Commissioners: Land Use

Mark Eastwood: To ask the Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of reported concerns by the Bishop of Norwich, the lead Church of England bishop on environmental issues, on plans by the Church Commissioners to put forward land as potential investment zones.

Andrew Selous: The process of policy formation in the Church Commissioners takes into account a wide range of views, including those of bishops. The Commissioners will consider on a case by case basis any approaches from regional or local authorities wanting to submit expressions of interest for new Investment Zones that include land owned by the Commissioners.

Ministry of Defence

BOWMAN Combat Radio System

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the out of service date is for the Bowman communications system.

Alec Shelbrooke: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 8 September 2021, to Question 40637.BOWMAN Combat Radio System (docx, 16.3KB)

Ajax Vehicles: Testing

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether representatives from the Army were present during General Dynamics' trials of the AJAX Armoured Fighting Vehicle in the last six months.

Alec Shelbrooke: Under the main Ajax contract with General Dynamics, a number of trials involving five variants of the vehicle have occurred in the last six months. These include but are not limited to: power, radio and communications, security, live firing, acoustic signature, capacity and stowage and electromagnetic pulse trials. The trials have been assured by Ministry of Defence officials and Army personnel as part of the joint team working on the project.

Ajax Vehicles

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the Initial Operating Capability date for the AJAX Armoured Fighting Vehicle is.

Alec Shelbrooke: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 October 2022 to Question 59086 to the hon. Member for Raleigh and Wickford (Mr Francois).Ajax Vehicles Procurement (docx, 16.6KB)

National Flagship: Procurement

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much public funding has been allocated to the National Flagship programme; and which companies have received public funds under that programme.

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has allocated public funds in this calendar year to the National Flagship programme.

Alec Shelbrooke: The Ministry of Defence has allocated c. £2.5 million to the National Flagship programme. None of this funding has been allocated in the present calendar year. As of 4 October 2022, the Ministry of Defence has spent £2.476 million during Financial Years 21-22 and 22-23 on the National Flagship programme. This sum includes internal and external staff costs, consultancy spend and private sector support. The Ministry of Defence has not assumed liability for costs incurred by bidders for the purposes of bidding into the current design competition, and no design or manufacturing contracts have been placed to date.

Ministry of Defence: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department’s publication of spending over £500 using a government procurement card from January to May 2022, which five companies received the highest shares of the £971,211.95 paid to sporting goods and riding apparel stores.

Alec Shelbrooke: The five companies which received the highest shares of the £971,211.95 paid by ePC between January and May 2022, under the merchant description 'sporting goods and riding apparel stores' were; Outdoor & Sports Company Ltd, Endura Ltd, Trekitt, Endura Ltd and Graham Tiso Ltd.

Ministry of Defence: Procurement

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to Answer of 21 September 2022 to Question 48224, whether any further contracts have been agreed between his Department and this unnamed overseas regions authority, which has failed to pay its invoice.

Alec Shelbrooke: I can confirm that no further contracts have been agreed between the Department and the authority in question.

Ministry of Defence: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department’s publication of spending over £500 using a government procurement card from January to May 2022, what was the (a) location and (b) purpose of the £1,116.00 spent under the merchant description Health and Beauty Spas on 24 February 2022.

Alec Shelbrooke: The £1,116.00 spent on 24 February 2022 under the merchant description ‘Health and Beauty Spas’ covered the purchase of gym memberships for PT Instructors in Lancaster.

Ministry of Defence: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Department’s transparency data online publication of spending over £500 using a government procurement card from January to May 2022, what was the (a) location and (b) purpose of the £3,456 spent under the merchant description ‘Billiard/Pool Establishment’ on 28 April 2022.

Alec Shelbrooke: The £3,345.00 spent on 28 February 2022 under the merchant description 'Billiard/Pool Establishment' covered the use of an indoor climbing facility in Brecon for a number of recruits as part of adventurous training.

Defence: Skilled Workers

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure the UK retains a skilled workforce in the defence industry.

Alec Shelbrooke: The Defence and Security Industrial Strategy (DSIS) provides our world-leading defence industry with transparency and clarity on the Government's plans, giving them the confidence to invest in and sustain the wide variety of highly skilled jobs across the four nations of the UK, delivering defence capability and contributing towards economic growth.We are working with industry to develop relevant skills in the defence sector, including through sharing expertise, making it easier for people to move between Government and industry, and identifying and attracting potential talent.

Economic Growth and Regional Planning and Development

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to prioritise national economic growth and levelling up.

Alec Shelbrooke: With a significant footprint across the UK and procurement pipeline, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is well placed to contribute to economic growth and Levelling Up (LU).The MOD spent £20.5 billion with industry and commerce in FY2020-21. In turn, this encourages private sector investment and creates high skilled jobs - 219,000 across the UK (equivalent to one in every 120 jobs) and an additional 78,000 indirectly supported by MOD expenditure.Several MOD commitments support LU with our main focus on Research and Development (R&D), not least through the implementation of our Defence and Security Industrial Strategy (DSIS).We have taken steps to expand Dstl's regional footprint by opening a Science and Technology Experimentation Hub specialising in AI and data science in Newcastle in March 2022, with other regional hubs under exploration.We are increasing the proportion of Extra Mural Research contracts placed outside the Greater South East (GSE) area.Following initial launch in the South West, our Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) continues to support the development of Regional Defence and Security Clusters (RDSCs) which offer an accessible route for SMEs to build relationships with regionally based MOD Strategic Suppliers to develop new industrial capability and enter the Defence market.MOD has already invested £1 billion in the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) Technology Initiative (with a further £1 billion planned) which is supporting regional hubs to develop advanced manufacturing technologies.

Defence: Manufacturing Industries

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure defence manufactures invest in the UK.

Alec Shelbrooke: The Government welcomes investment in the UK to build capacity, introduce new technology and techniques, and generate employment. The Defence & Security Industrial Strategy (DSIS) principles of transparency, communication, and a longer-term view of our priorities gives industry the confidence to plan ahead and invest not just in their infrastructure and workforce, but also cutting-edge research and development and innovation, leading to future technology and productivity gains.Aligned with our vision of Global Britain, DSIS reinforces our strong international reputation as a hub of cooperation and technological innovation. Our openness to collaboration and investment, as well as our industrial and scientific strengths, make the UK an attractive partner.

Ministry of Defence: Females

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of staff employed by his Department are women.

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of people employed by his Department are from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds.

Sarah Atherton: Defence is committed to attracting, retaining and developing the best talent from the broadest diversity of skills and background, to reflect the society we serve. We are making the step changes required to create a more inclusive environment for all, enabling everyone, irrespective of background, to deliver our Defence outputs, enhance our operational effectiveness and represent the nation we serve. Our Department-wide Diversity and Inclusion Strategy clearly sets out a challenging vision, goals, objectives and commitments of where we want to see change.Defence is undergoing a rapid transformation. As part of this transformation, in 2020 the Chiefs of Staff set out their commitment to invest in a range of actions to support Defence’s ambition to be a more diverse and inclusive place to work. The interventions will drive change forward, building on the great strides we have already taken to attract, retain and develop the best talent and improve opportunities for women and men, e.g., opening all roles to women, lateral entry, flexible service, Wraparound childcare, Future Workplace Strategy and Forces Families Strategy.As at 1 April 2022, there were 16,680 female Regular Service personnel in the UK Armed Forces. This equates to a representation rate of 11.3 per cent, an increase of 0.3 percentage points compared with 1 April 2021. As at 1 October 2021, there were 16,730 female civilian personnel working in MOD (Main). This equates to a representation rate of 44.3 per cent, a rise of 2.3 percentage points compared with 1 October 2017.Our ambition is to build Defence into an institutionally inclusive organisation for the whole force, that is fair for all, and reflective, at all levels, of the diverse society we serve. We have launched the first phase of the Race Action Plan, a programme of work to consolidate all race-related activity across the whole force. This will allow a consistent approach to delivering transformational change and ensure actions are targeted and do not undermine current activities within this space.As at 1 April 2022, there were 14,110 ethnic minority (excluding white minority) Regular Service personnel in the UK Armed Forces. This equates to a representation rate of 9.6 per cent, an increase of 0.4 percentage points compared with 1 April 2021. As at 1 October 2021, there were 2,100 ethnic minority (excluding white minority) civilian personnel working in MOD (Main). This equates to a representation rate of 6.4 per cent, a rise of 1.9 percentage points compared with 1 October 2017.Defence publishes biannual statistics on diversity declarations for Armed Forces personnel and civilian staff. The latest editions can be found at the following links:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/uk-armed-forces-biannual-diversity-statistics-indexhttps://www.gov.uk/government/collections/mod-diversity-dashboard-index

Refugees: Afghanistan

Chris Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress the Government has made on applications under all four categories of the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Programme.

James Heappey: Of the estimated 16,500 ARAP eligible individuals to which we owe debt of grattitude, we have relocated 11,437 individuals. This figure includes principals and dependants. Data fidelity does not allow for this figure to be broken down by ARAP categories or professions.We continue to receive a high number of applications, however the majority of these are duplicates or are ineligible. We are now actively processing and issuing decisions on more applications per month than we are receiving, allowing us to make progress on clearing the backlog.Our primary focus is on identifying and relocating the estimated remaining 5,300 eligible individuals, using HMG employment records to target our efforts. Significant progress has been made to accelerate the process in recent months, including additional Defence resource being made available and an enhanced casework system.

Ukraine: Military Aid

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent conversations he has had with Ukrainian counterparts about providing more (a) anti-aircraft and (b) anti-missile systems to that country’s armed forces.

James Heappey: The Secretary of State for Defence regularly holds discussions with Defence Minister Reznikov on a range of issues, including the equipment and support requirements of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.The UK is already providing a variety of short and medium range air defence missiles. On 13 October 2022, the Defence Secretary announced that the UK would provide additional air defence missiles to Ukraine to help defend against Russian missile strikes.

Refugees: Afghanistan

Chris Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress his Department has made on processing applications under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy for former employees of Crown Agents and their families who remained in Afghanistan.

James Heappey: Since April 2021 we have relocated over 11,000 ARAP eligible individuals and their families to safety in the UK. It is not possible to provide a breakdown of these figures by job role or specific organisations.

Iran: Russia

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential transfer of military equipment between Iran and Russia.

James Heappey: Russia is making increasingly desperate choices to continue its unprovoked war against Ukraine, particularly in the face of our unprecedented sanctions and export controls. The Government is committed to strictly enforcing our sanctions against both Russia and Iran and holding Iran accountable on the transfer, or sale of any military equipment to Russia for use against Ukraine.

Ukraine: Military Aid

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has plans to provide the Ukrainian army with armaments which are suitable for (a) winter warfare and (b) winter clothing.

James Heappey: We continue to liaise closely with Ukraine to understand their priorities for the coming months. The UK will deliver 25,000 sets of winter clothing and other equipment to help the Armed Forces of Ukraine during the winter. We are also delivering materiel to enable the platforms we have provided to operate in cold weather conditions. The UK also announced it will give £10 million to NATO’s Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine, to provide urgent assistance such as winter clothes, shelters, generators, fuel trucks and ambulances ahead of the winter.

Army

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has any plans to reverse the reduction in Army numbers to 73,000 by 2025.

James Heappey: The 2021 Integrated Review and Defence Command Paper made clear that we must focus on capabilities rather than troop numbers. Through Future Soldier, the Army will have a whole force of over 100,000 comprising of 73,000 Regular Service Personnel and 30,100 Army Reserve. The Army is re-organising and re-equipping to face future threats, however, as the Secretary of State has stated, as the threat changes, we need to change with it. In line with the agile planning and delivery mechanisms developed following the Integrated Review, Defence will continue to review our capabilities and readiness levels accordingly. Any specific policy changes required for Defence will be determined once the Government's update of the Integrated Review has concluded.

Qatar: Military Aid

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 28 September to parliamentary Question 51426 on Qatar: Military Aid, for what reasons his Department is spending around £500,000 on Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Training and Advice in Qatar.

James Heappey: The Ministry of Defence is supporting Qatar to deliver a safe and secure World Cup tournament including through the provision of Counter-Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED) Training and advice to the Qatar Armed Forces to counter potential threats to the tournament. The UK's contribution will add expertise and capability, it is a demonstration of our strong defence relationship, contributing to regional stability and protecting mutual prosperity and security.

Arabian Sea: Drug Seizures

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people were arrested during the 870kg drug seizure by HMS Montrose in the Arabian Sea on 2 October 2022; and which jurisdiction will handle their cases.

James Heappey: No arrests were made during the narcotics Interdiction conducted by HMS Montrose in the Arabian Sea on 2 October 2022.

Ukraine: Military Aid

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the amount of British military aid that has been (a) delivered to and (b) ordered for Ukraine since February 2022 by (i) equipment type and (ii) quantity of units.

James Heappey: The UK has provided £2.3 billion worth of military support to Ukraine, which has played a key role in enabling the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) to defend their sovereign country against Russian aggression.For operational security reasons, we cannot provide an exhaustive list of the support provided to the AFU. However, the key elements remain as I set out in the House on 22 September 2022.https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2022-09-22/debates/E6B13CEA-33FA-4760-B680-1CFDBA42FFB3/UkraineIn addition, as the Defence Secretary announced on 13 October, we are further bolstering Ukraine's air defence capability with modern air to air missiles (called AMRAAM), and hundreds of additional air defence missiles.

Azerbaijan: Armed Forces

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the (a) number and (b) role of British military personnel in Azerbaijan in 2022.

James Heappey: The UK currently have no permanent British military personnel in Azerbaijan.

Libya: Visits Abroad

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if HMS Albion’s crew met with (a) senior Libyan political and (b) military officials on her visit to Tripoli in September 2022.

James Heappey: During her visit to Tripoli on 28 September, HMS Albion's crew met with senior Libyan political and military officials, including hosting an Official Reception which was attended by guests including Deputy Chair of the Presidential Council Musa Al-Koni and Foreign Minister Dr. Najla Mangoush.More information can be found on gov.uk here: HMS Albion completes visit to Libya - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

EU Defence Policy

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of the UK’s Armed Forces joining the Military Mobility Permanent Structured Cooperation project.

James Heappey: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has underlined the importance of addressing any impediments to moving military personnel and assets across Europe at pace. Joining the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Military Mobility project would better enable the UK to shape relevant rules and requirements including cross-border military transport procedures. Our NATO Allies Canada, Norway and the USA have already joined the PESCO Military Mobility project. We support all efforts to increase cooperation between EU partners and NATO Allies; including ensuring that bodies such as NATO, the EU and the Joint Expeditionary Force are working to complement each other.

HMS Prince of Wales: Repairs and Maintenance

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects repairs to HMS Prince of Wales to be completed.

Alec Shelbrooke: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 13 October 2022 to Question number 58922 to the right hon. Member for Rayleigh and Wickford (Mark Francois).HMS Prince of Wales: Repairs and Maintenance (docx, 21.1KB)

Navy: Training

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what are the (a) initial operating capability and (b) full operating capability dates for Project Selborne.

Alec Shelbrooke: Project Selborne is a transformation in the way that the Royal Navy delivers its training, unlocking more opportunities for them to fulfil their potential and get better trained people to the frontline, quicker.The Selborne contract began on 1 April 2021, with training immediately available until the end of the contract on 31 March 2033. There is provision to amend training provision according to the Royal Navy's requirements, however amendments will not effect the contract's end date.

Ministry of Defence: Procurement

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his department have ever issued penalties to a prime contractor for failing to deliver on (a) their social value commitments; or (b) their commitments to supporting SMEs in the defence supply chain.

Alec Shelbrooke: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) expects all of its contractors to meet their Social Value commitments which are managed and monitored throughout the life of the contract as part of the contract management process. These obligations, along with the need to support SMEs working in the defence supply chain are reinforced as part of the MOD's Strategic Partnering programme engagements with major suppliers. Our strategic suppliers have each appointed an SME Champion at senior level, some of whom are involved in the Defence Suppliers Forum SME Working Group, helping to deliver the commitments made in the Department's SME Action Plan.

LE TacCIS Programme

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with regard to the new Morpheus communications system, (a) what definition of initial operating capability his Department has set for the programme; and (b) what is the estimated date for (i) initial operating capability and (ii) full operating capability.

Alec Shelbrooke: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer the previous Minister for Defence Procurement gave on 15 June 2022 to Questions 13638, 13639 and 13640 to the right hon. Member for Wentworth and Dearne (John Healey).LE TacCIS Programme (docx, 16.7KB)

Ministry of Defence: Procurement

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the list of contracts cancelled by his department and their total value since 1 January 2022.

Alec Shelbrooke: Information on cancelled contracts is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Veterans: Identity Cards

Rachel Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Veterans have received their Veteran ID card under the Veteran's Recognition Scheme as of 12 October 2022.

Sarah Atherton: As of 12 October 2022, there have been 56,194 HM Armed Forces Veterans’ Recognition Cards issued under phase one of the Veterans’ Recognition Scheme. Cards for these veterans are issued as standard as part of the discharge process.Phase two of the Scheme will see cards made available to existing veterans who did receive one as part of the discharge process. The Government remains committed to delivering Veterans’ Recognition Cards and will advise of a timescale for final delivery when this work is complete.A veteran does not require a Recognition Card to prove their status or to access veteran-related services or discounts.

EU Defence Policy

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department is planning to join any other projects part of the Permanent Structured Cooperation.

James Heappey: The UK continues to monitor Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) projects as they develop, but has no intention to apply for any other PESCO projects at this time.

Armed Forces: Protective Clothing

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many civil servants are employed in his Department on overseeing the storage of Personal Protective Equipment.

Alec Shelbrooke: Defence uses a range of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from off-the-shelf generic PPE used in civilian settings to high-end PPE for specific environments only encountered in a military context. PPE is procured, stored and distributed both centrally and locally. For these reasons it is not possible to provide an answer to the question without incurring disproportionate cost.

Veterans: Funerals

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of setting up a system to ensure that funeral services take place for veterans who pass without (a) next of kin and (b) funds to pay for that service.

Sarah Atherton: Currently we have no plans to set up a specific system for Veterans. For the general population, including veterans, Public Health Funerals in England and Wales are provided by local authorities for people who have passed away and have no next of kin, or whose next of kin, relatives or friends are unable or unwilling to make the necessary arrangements for a funeral. They are designed to protect public health and are important in ensuring that all individuals are treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their circumstances. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-health-funerals-good-practice-guidance/public-health-funerals-good-practice-guidance  Generally, Veterans' funeral arrangements are not a Ministry of Defence (MOD) matter. However, the MOD does provide funeral expenses to help pay for the funeral of a War Pensioner or veteran whose death was due to service before 6 April 2005, War Pensions Constant Attendance Allowance was being paid or would have been paid had the War Pensioner not been in hospital when they died, or their Unemployability Supplement was in payment at the time of death and the War Pension was being paid at 80% or higher; https://www.gov.uk/guidance/funeral-expenses-for-war-pensioners-and-veterans#eligibilityFor Service Personnel the MOD offers to fund funerals and mark the graves of those who have died in paid military service.

Ministry of Defence: Public Expenditure

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of potential impact of the increase in the Bank of England base rate on 22 September 2022 on his departmental budget.

Alec Shelbrooke: At this stage we do not expect to be affected directly by the change in base rate as the Department does not borrow money, nor do we receive any more than a minimal amount of interest.However, the Department continues to monitor any resulting indirect impact that may arise.

Ajax Vehicles: Procurement

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent estimate he has made of the cost of delivering the Ajax light tank programme.

Alec Shelbrooke: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to Question 48235 on 14 September 2022. I can confirm the most recent estimate remains within the approved budget. Ajax Vehicles Procurement (docx, 16.8KB)

Ministry of Defence: Public Expenditure

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had recent discussions with the Prime Minister on the potential impact of (a) inflation, (b) interest rates and (c) the exchange rate on his Department's budget.

Alec Shelbrooke: The Department continues to minimise its exposure to short-term economic shocks, including through forward purchase arrangements. The potential impact of these factors upon the Department's budget remain under continuous review and are part of the regular discussions we have with the Treasury.

Military Aircraft: Helicopters

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent steps he has taken to progress the procurement of a new medium lift helicopter.

Alec Shelbrooke: The New Medium Helicopter competition aligns with the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy. The competition's contract notice and dynamic pre-qualification questionnaire were released in May this year and responses are being evaluated to determine a shortlist of credible suppliers. The second half of the competition, in which we will ask the selected suppliers to provide more detailed responses, is due to be launched later this financial year.

Ajax Vehicles: Procurement

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a decision made on the future of Ajax by December 2022.

Alec Shelbrooke: The Department continues to work with General Dynamics to resolve the challenges on Ajax and is actively working to validate the effectiveness of proposed modifications to address noise and vibration in line with the contract. We expect to be in a position to consider the way forward for the programme by the end of the year. The Ministry of Defence will not accept a vehicle until it can be used safely for its intended purpose.

Ajax Vehicles: Noise

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Ajax armoured vehicle continues to pose a risk of noise exposure to service personnel.

Alec Shelbrooke: The safety of our Armed Forces personnel always comes first. The Ministry of Defence is working to validate the effectiveness of proposed modifications to address noise and vibration as per the contract. These are conducted under a very tight set of controls approved by the Ajax Safety Assurance Panel that includes monitoring the health of those conducting the trials. All personnel involved in executing the trials are explicitly empowered to stop the activity if they identify a safety concern. The Ministry of Defence will not accept a vehicle until it can be used safely for its intended purpose.

General Dynamics UK: Contracts

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reason his Department has not levied penalties against General Dynamics for the failure to deliver contracted armoured fighting vehicles.

Alec Shelbrooke: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer my predecessor gave him on 7 September 2021 to Question 40677.Ajax Vehicles Procurement (docx, 16.4KB)

Iraq: Unmanned Air Vehicles

Stewart Malcolm McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will set out the basis for drone strikes by the Royal Air Force in Iraq following the end of the Coalition forces’ combat mission in December 2021.

James Heappey: The basis for our continued air campaign is the mandate from Parliament and the consent of the Government of Iraq. In December 2021, the Global Coalition to Defeat Da'esh transitioned to an 'advise, assist, enable' mission. As part of this, the UK provides air support to the Iraqi Security Forces to secure the enduring defeat of Da'esh, which poses an ongoing threat in Iraq, Syria, and beyond.

Ukraine: Military Aid

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to help provide mental health support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

James Heappey: We continue to tailor the training we are providing to the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) to meet their needs. Following a recent reassessment of critical AFU training requirements, UK-based training for Ukrainian soldiers has been expanded and increased in duration. To date, mental health programmes have not been formally or specifically requested by the AFU within their requirement for rehabilitation or military training.

Ukraine: Military Aid

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he will take to (a) scale up Operation Interflex and (b) train more Ukrainian armed forces personnel.

James Heappey: With the help of our international partners, the training of Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel under Operation INTERFLEX will be scaled up in 2023.We are also working to identify where we may be able to further support the Armed Forces of Ukraine with collective and specialist training.

Army

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment has he made of (a) the size of the Army's current stockpiles of artillery shells and (b) the Army's ability to fulfil the UK's NATO commitments to allies such as Estonia.

James Heappey: The Army continually manages and reviews all of its stocks of weapons and munitions. Due to the classification of these assessments, it is inappropriate to give the detail in this forum.We remain fully committed to collective defence through NATO and other multinational readiness forces, as demonstrated by our deployments to Estonia and the announcement, at the NATO Summit in Madrid, of the 1* UK Headquarters in Estonia.

Ukraine: Military Aid

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to deepen cooperation with Ukrainian authorities on the sharing of military intelligence.

James Heappey: The Ministry of Defence plays a central role in the UK's response to support Ukraine following the Russian invasion. Beyond the provision of military equipment, our medium-term support focusses on capacity building and training all of which the UK and Ukraine had been cooperating on long before the current conflict. We do not comment on details of intelligence cooperation between allies.

Gulf of Guinea: Piracy

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment his Department has made of the risk of piracy in (a) Nigerian waters, (b) the wider Gulf of Guinea and (c) the rivers and harbours in the Niger Delta area.

James Heappey: Maritime crime and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea and Nigerian waters has reduced sharply since its most recent peak in 2019-2020. Piracy levels in Gulf of Guinea have historically fluctuated and the region remains a global hotspot. Criminal groups from Nigeria's Niger Delta have traditionally been the main perpetrators of maritime crime across the Gulf of Guinea, but oil-related crime in the Niger Delta probably provides a more financially rewarding opportunity currently. Nevertheless, pirates in the region retain the capability and broad intent to conduct attacks in both the inner and outer reaches of the Gulf of Guinea and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

Israel: Armed Forces

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Israeli armed forces personnel are on deployment in the UK.

James Heappey: There are currently five Israeli personnel on duty in the UK, although these are for liaison and training purposes rather than a military deployment.

Ukraine: Military Aid

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what support his Department is providing to Ukrainian authorities on enhanced Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear capability.

James Heappey: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has been at the forefront of providing support to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This support has included providing counter-CBRN protective equipment and expert advice to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.The MOD continues to monitor the situation in Ukraine and is working closely with international partners to coordinate counter-CBRN support to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Ukraine: Military Aid

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent steps he has taken to provide additional (a) equipment and (b) training to Ukrainian forces.

James Heappey: We continue to liaise closely with Ukraine to understand their priorities and to shape what support the UK and international community offer as these requirements evolve.To date, we have committed £2.3 billion of military support and the Government has committed to match this in the next financial year. Our most recent funding package, announced in June, is being used to deliver key military equipment, including more armoured fighting vehicles, air defence missiles, artillery ammunition, more integrated air defence systems, uncrewed systems and innovative new electronic warfare equipment. On 13 October 2022, the Defence Secretary announced that the UK will also donate cutting edge air defence missiles to Ukraine to help defend against Russian missile strikes.We have also trained over 6,000 Ukrainian personnel to help Ukraine defend its sovereign territory.

Ukraine: Military Aid

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to encourage global partners to provide stronger and further support to Ukrainian forces.

James Heappey: The UK has consistently provided international leadership on support to Ukraine. The UK was the first country to provide lethal aid, takes a leading role in the International Donor Coordination Centre and is leading international efforts to provide training at scale for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In July, the Secretary of State announced the UK-led International Fund for Ukraine which aims to raise over £1 billion with international partners to fund the provision of military capabilities for Ukraine.

Afghanistan: Refugees

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy applications were (a) received and (b) processed by his Department in September 2022.

James Heappey: In September 2022, approximately 2,121 applications were received, of which 943 were duplicates; and approximately 3,407 applications were processed.

NATO: Military Exercises

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK (a) personnel and (b) platforms are involved in the NATO exercise Joint Warrior which began on 1 October 2022.

James Heappey: Approximately 1,000 UK personnel were directly involved in Exercise Joint Warrior with many others providing support as part of their daily work. The UK also contributed nine warships and thirteen military aircraft to the Exercise.

Ukraine: Military Aid

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many AMRAAM rockets his Department will provide to Ukraine; and on what date those rockets will be delivered.

James Heappey: The UK will gift AMRAAM missiles to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in conjunction with the US and a number of other nations. Details on numbers and dates cannot be shared for reasons of operational security.

Department for Work and Pensions

Personal Independence Payment: Cost of Living Payments

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many outstanding Personal Independence Payment claims there were at the start of the cost of living payment rollout on 20 September 2022.

Claire Coutinho: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Universal Credit: Work Capability Assessment

Sir Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answers of 5 September 2022 to Question 40729 and of 11 October 2022 to Question 53261 on Universal Credit Work Capability Assessments, what the aggregate number of Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment Mandatory Reconsideration (a) registrations, (b) clearances and (c) outcomes was in each of the most recent 12 months for which data is available.

Claire Coutinho: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Jobseeker's Allowance: National Insurance Credits

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people on Jobseeker's Allowance were not receiving Class 1 National Insurance credits in the latest period for which data is available.

Victoria Prentis: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Universal Credit: National Insurance Contributions

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people were in receipt of Universal Credit and not credited with Class 3 National Insurance contributions in the latest period for which data is available.

Victoria Prentis: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Employment and Support Allowance: National Insurance Credits

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in receipt of Employment and Support Allowance were not receiving Class 1 National Insurance credits in the latest period for which data is available.

Claire Coutinho: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Employment: Older People

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what (a) support and (b) training her Department provides to those over the age of 50 seeking employment.

Victoria Prentis: The Government recognises the challenges faced by some aged 50 and over, which is why we are providing a new enhanced offer for people aged 50 and over to remain in and return to work. Eligible older job seekers on Universal Credit will receive more intensive, tailored support during the first nine months of their claim, on top of the support that work coaches offer all claimants on skills provision and job search support. As part of the Growth announcement, the Chancellor announced funding for additional work coach support to over 50s that are long term unemployed. 37 full-time 50+ Champions are now in every JCP district across GB, to upskill Work Coaches in supporting over 50s return to work.

Universal Credit: Young People

Zarah Sultana: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason there is a lower rate of Universal Credit for people under the age of 25; what recent assessment her Department has made of the difference between (a) average costs incurred by and (b) Universal Credit entitlement for people (i) under and (ii) over the age of 25; what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the lower rate of Universal Credit on (A) homelessness and (B) poverty; and whether her Department plans to take steps to equalise the rates of Universal Credit.

Victoria Prentis: No such assessment has been made. Universal Credit provides those who are under 25 with lower rates than those over the age of 25. This is to reflect the fact that these claimants are more likely to live in someone else’s household and have lower living costs. It also reflects the lower wages that younger workers typically receive. However, it is acknowledged that some claimants under 25 do live independently and all claimants have different needs. This is why Universal Credit includes separate elements to provide support to claimants towards additional costs, such as housing costs.

Energy: Food Banks

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of rises in the cost of energy on trends in the level of food bank use; and what steps she is taking to address that matter.

Victoria Prentis: Foodbanks are independent, charitable organisations and the Department for Work and Pensions does not have any role in their operation. There is no consistent and accurate measure of food bank usage at a constituency or national level. We understand the data limitations in this area, and therefore from April 2021 we introduced a set of questions into the Family Resources Survey (FRS) to measure and track foodbank usage. The first results of these questions are due to be published in March 2023 subject to usual quality assurance. The government has announced unprecedented support within its Growth Plan to protect households and businesses from high energy prices. The Energy Price Guarantee and the Energy Bill Relief Scheme are supporting millions of households and businesses with rising energy costs, and the Chancellor made clear they will continue to do so from now until April next year. This is in addition to the over £37bn of cost of living support announced earlier this year which includes the £400 non-repayable discount to eligible households provided through the Energy Bills Support Scheme.For those who require additional support the government has provided an additional £500 million to help households with the cost of essentials, on top of what we have already provided since October 2021, bringing the total funding for this support to £1.5 billion. For the period October 2022-March 2023, we are providing an additional £421million to help households in England with the cost of essentials, and the devolved administrations will receive £79 million through the Barnett formula.

Social Security Benefits: Inflation

Claire Hanna: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether it is her policy to uprate all social security benefits in line with inflation in the next financial year.

Victoria Prentis: The Secretary of State has a statutory annual obligation to review state pensions and benefits. Her review will commence shortly, and her decisions will be announced to Parliament shortly.

Universal Credit: Disqualification

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 27 September 2022 to Question 45954 on Universal Credit: Disqualification, what estimate her Department has made of the cost of collating the information on the stage a Universal Credit (Full Service) sanction decision is made.

Victoria Prentis: An appraisal of the resources needed to enable the collation and publication of the requested statistics has not been made. We will consider our development priorities within the Statistical Work Programme.

Childcare: Tax Allowances

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time is for her Department to process a claim for help with childcare.

Victoria Prentis: The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. Where childcare is delivered during an assessment period, the cost paid for that childcare will be reimbursed at the end of the assessment period in which it is delivered. In order to be reimbursed, childcare costs can be reported to DWP up to the end of the assessment period following the assessment period in which they were paid. The exact waiting time for reimbursement, therefore, depends on how far in advance a claimant pays their childcare provider and how soon the claimant reports those costs to DWP. UC claimants who need help with upfront childcare costs to enter employment or significantly increase their working hours can apply for help from the Flexible Support Fund (FSF). This is non-repayable and will pay their initial childcare costs directly to the provider up to the first salary received.

Unemployment: North East

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent steps her Department has taken to reduce the number of young people aged 18 to 24 (a) not working or (b) looking for a job in the North East.

Victoria Prentis: Through Jobcentre Plus, the Department of Work and Pensions is helping young people to find the right support, education or training that will ultimately lead to sustained employment opportunities and career progression. The DWP Youth Offer provides individually tailored work coach support to young people aged 16 to 24 who are in the Universal Credit Intensive Work Search group. This support includes the Youth Employment Programme, Youth Employability Coaches for young people with additional barriers to finding work, and Youth Hubs across Great Britain. We have extended the DWP Youth Offer to 2025 and expanded eligibility to include 16 and 17-year-olds, in addition to 18- to 24-year-olds, who are claiming Universal Credit and searching for work We currently have a network of Youth Hubs across North East England which bring together employment support from a Jobcentre Plus work coach and place-based support from local partnerships to help young people into work. The support offered in a Hub is dependent on local needs, but examples include skills, training, and employment provision, alongside a range of dedicated support services such as mental health, housing and debt management delivered by local partners. Through the Kickstart Scheme we saw over 8,000 Kickstart jobs started by young people in the North East.   Core skills are fundamental in securing, retaining, and progressing in work. DWP is delivering a comprehensive package of support for young people in collaboration with the Department for Education and National Careers Service in England, the Devolved Administrations, and other partners. This Government has invested in apprenticeships, vocational and basic skills training, alongside careers advice and Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs). SWAP opportunities link skills/employability training with guaranteed interviews and real vacancies – providing a routeway into work for young people. Whilst many opportunities are entry level, they often offer good career pathways and in work progression.The Job Help campaign offers job search advice and showcases priority sectors and job vacancies to help young people successfully find work. The Job Help website also provides help to get work experience and signposting to initiatives such as Access to work.

Universal Credit: Cost of Living Payments

Owen Thompson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make it her policy to provide cost of living payments to claimants of Universal Credit that have been sanctioned.

Victoria Prentis: Claimants who are sanctioned but still have an entitlement to a payment of Universal Credit (UC) during the qualifying assessment period are eligible to receive a Cost-of-Living Payment. Sanctions are calculated with reference to the standard UC allowance only. We recognise some of the most vulnerable are those entitled to other elements in UC, such as housing or child costs. If a sanction is applied, claimants continue to receive these other elements. If a sanction reduces a claimant’s Universal Credit to £0, a ‘nil award’, for the qualifying assessment period they are not entitled to receive a Cost-of-Living Payment. Those with a Universal Credit ‘nil award’ during the qualifying period who weren’t eligible could be entitled retrospectively if a sanction is successfully appealed and could still be entitled to the second Cost of Living payment. 98.9% of sanctions are for failing to attend a mandatory appointment at a Jobcentre and can often be resolved quickly by claimants getting in touch with the Jobcentre and attending their next appointment. Hardship payments are available as a safeguard to claimants who demonstrate that they cannot meet their immediate and most essential needs (including accommodation, heating, food and hygiene) as a result of their sanction.

Pensioners: Cost of Living

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to assist pensioners with the rising cost of living.

Victoria Prentis: Government support for the cost of living now totals over £37 billion this year. This includes a £650 cost of living payment (paid in 2 payments of £326 and £324) which has been designed to target support at low-income households on means-tested benefits including Pension Credit. In addition, pensioner households will receive a one-off payment of £300 through, and as an addition to, the Winter Fuel Payment from November and 6 million eligible disabled people will receive a one-off Disability Cost of Living Payment of £150 from 20 September. Pensioners in receipt of an eligible disability benefit will receive the Disability Cost of Living Payment. The government has announced unprecedented support within its Growth Plan to protect households and businesses from high energy prices. The Energy Price Guarantee and the Energy Bill Relief Scheme are supporting millions of households and businesses with rising energy costs, and the Chancellor made clear they will continue to do so from now until April next year. This applies to all households in Great Britain, with the same level of support made available to households in Northern Ireland.

Poverty: North East

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to take additional steps to tackle levels of child poverty in (a) Newcastle and (b) the North East.

Victoria Prentis: The Government is committed to reducing child poverty and supporting low-income families. In 2022/23 we will spend over £242 billion through the welfare system in Great Britain including £108 billion on people of working age. With 1.25 million job vacancies across the UK, our focus is firmly on supporting people to move into, and progress in work. This approach is based on clear evidence about the importance of parental employment - particularly where it is full-time - in substantially reducing the risks of child poverty and in improving long-term outcomes for families and children. The latest available data on in-work poverty shows that in 2019/20, children in households where all adults were in work were around six times less likely to be in absolute poverty (before housing costs) than children in a household where nobody works. In 2021, compared to 2010, there were nearly 1 million fewer workless households and almost 590,000 fewer children in workless households in the UK. In 2020/21, there were 200,000 fewer children in absolute poverty (before housing costs) than in 2009/10. To help parents into work across Great Britain, our Plan for Jobs is providing broad ranging support for all Jobseekers with our Sector Based Work Academy Programmes (SWAP), Job Entry Targeted Support and Restart scheme. We are also extending the support Jobcentres provide to people in work and on low incomes. Through a staged roll-out, which started in April 2022, around 2.1 million low-paid benefit claimants will be eligible for support to progress into higher-paid work. This is on top of the support we have already provided by increasing the National Living Wage to £9.50 per hour and giving nearly 1.7 million families an extra £1,000 a year, on average, through our changes to the Universal Credit taper and work allowances. To further support parents to move into and progress in work, the government provides a range of childcare offers. For more information on what childcare support may be available, we encourage parents to use the helpful Childcare Choices website. The government has announced unprecedented support within its Growth Plan to protect households and businesses from high energy prices. The Energy Price Guarantee and the Energy Bill Relief Scheme are supporting millions of households and businesses with rising energy costs, and the Chancellor made clear they will continue to do so from now until April next year. This is in addition to the over £37bn of cost of living support announced earlier this year which includes the £400 non-repayable discount to eligible households provided through the Energy Bills Support Scheme. The £37bn of support includes the current Household Support Fund in England, which will be providing up to £421m of support to those most in need for the period October 2022 - March 2023 and is being delivered by Upper Tier and Unitary Councils. In the case of Newcastle upon Tyne, the local authority has been allocated £2,898,403.85 for this period. The devolved administrations will receive £79 million through the Barnett formula as usual.

Social Security Benefits: Uprating

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if it continues to be her policy to uprate benefits in April in line with the current level of inflation in September.

Victoria Prentis: The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has a statutory obligation to undertake an annual review of State pensions and benefits. Her review will commence shortly, based on the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) in the year to September 2022, and on earnings growth in the year to May-July 2022. The latter figure was published on 11 October by the Office for National Statistics. The CPI figure will be published on 19 October. The Secretary of State’s decisions will be announced to Parliament shortly.

Social Security Benefits: Inflation

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential effect on recipients of not increasing social security benefits in line with inflation.

Victoria Prentis: The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has a statutory obligation to undertake an annual review of State pensions and benefits. Her review will commence shortly, based on the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) in the year to September 2022, and on earnings growth in the year to May-July 2022. The latter figure was published on 11 October by the Office for National Statistics. The CPI figure will be published on 19 October. The Secretary of State’s decisions will be announced to Parliament shortly.

Household Support Fund

Dr Luke Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending the Household Support Fund.

Victoria Prentis: The Government is providing an additional £500 million to help households with the cost of essentials, bringing the total funding for this support to £1.5 billion. In England, £421 million is being provided to extend the existing Household Support Fund from 01 October to 31 March. Guidance and individual local authority indicative allocations for this further extension to the Household Support Fund will be published soon. The devolved administrations will receive £79 million through the Barnett formula.

Universal Credit: Cost of Living Payments

Owen Thompson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has she made of the potential impact of not providing cost of living payments to Universal Credit claimants who have been sanctioned on trends in the level of excess deaths.

Victoria Prentis: No assessment has been made by the Department for Work and Pensions of the potential impact of not providing Cost of Living Payments to Universal Credit claimants who have been sanctioned on trends in the level of excess deaths. Claimants who are sanctioned but still have an entitlement to a payment of Universal Credit (UC) during the qualifying assessment period are eligible to receive a Cost of Living Payment. Sanctions are calculated with reference to the standard UC allowance only. We recognise some of the most vulnerable are those entitled to other elements in UC, such as housing or child costs. If a sanction is applied, claimants continue to receive these other elements. If a sanction reduces a claimant’s Universal Credit to £0, a ‘nil award’, for the qualifying assessment period they are not entitled to receive a Cost of Living Payment. Those with a Universal Credit ‘nil award’ during the qualifying period who weren’t eligible could be entitled retrospectively if a sanction is successfully appealed and could still be entitled to the second Cost of Living payment. 98.9% of sanctions are for failing to attend a mandatory appointment at a Jobcentre, and can often be resolved quickly by claimants getting in touch with the Jobcentre and attending their next appointment. Hardship payments are available as a safeguard to claimants who demonstrate that they cannot meet their immediate and most essential needs (including accommodation, heating, food and hygiene) as a result of their sanction. To support people who need additional help, from October 2022 the Government is providing an additional £500 million to help households with the cost of essentials, bringing the total funding for this support to £1.5 billion. The devolved administrations will subsequently receive £79 million through the Barnett Formula to spend at their discretion. The Scottish Government will receive £41m of this funding.For further information please see Cost of Living Payment - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)   Please note that the Department for Work and Pensions do not hold data on excess deaths as this is the responsibility of the Office of National Statistics.

Universal Credit

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will restore the £20 uplift to Universal Credit

Victoria Prentis: There are no plans to reinstate the temporary increase to Universal Credit. The government has announced unprecedented support within its Growth Plan to protect households and businesses from high energy prices. The Energy Price Guarantee and the Energy Bill Relief Scheme are supporting millions of households and businesses with rising energy costs, and the Chancellor made clear they will continue to do so from now until April next year. This is in addition to the over £37bn of cost of living support announced earlier this year which includes the £400 non-repayable discount to eligible households provided through the Energy Bills Support Scheme. This includes a £650 cost of living payment (paid in 2 lump sums of £326 and £324) which has been designed to target support at more than 8 million low-income households on means-tested benefits. The payment of £326 was paid between the 14 July and the 31 July for most people and the payment of £324 will be made in the Autumn. In addition, 6 million eligible disabled people will have started to receive a one-off disability Cost of Living payment of £150 from late September and pensioner households will receive a one-off payment of £300 through and as an addition to the Winter Fuel Payment from November. The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is required to undertake an annual statutory review of State pensions and benefits. The review ahead of 2023/24 is due to commence shortly and the Secretary of State’s decisions will be announced in the normal way later in the year.

Universal Credit

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will publish a percentage breakdown of the liabilities or debt deductions that are being applied to Universal Credit claims.

Victoria Prentis: The table below provides the proportions of UC households with each of the main deduction types and also the average proportion of the UC standard allowance. May-22% of all UC households with deductionAverage proportion of UC standard allowance deducted each monthAdvances29%12%Government Deductions25%13%Third Party Deductions12%10% For DWP Debt deductions, if a claimant is struggling financially, they can contact DWP Debt Management to discuss a reduction in their repayment, or temporary suspension, depending on financial circumstances.

Universal Credit: Employment

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Government's Growth Plan 2022, published in September 2022, if she will make an estimate of the number of people on Universal Credit who will be placed in the Intensive Work Search regime following the increase in the Administration Earnings Threshold announced in that plan by (a) constituency, (b) region and (c) nation.

Victoria Prentis: DWP forecasts that approximately 120,000 claimants will be affected by increase in the Administrative Earnings Threshold planned from January 2023. The information is not held in the format requested. The forecasts indicate that there is not a significant geographical variation in the number of claimants that will move into the Intensive Work Search Regime as a result of the planned changes.

Jobcentres: Pay

Ronnie Cowan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Jobcentre Plus employees are waiting to be paid their entitled Enhanced Holiday Pay.

Victoria Prentis: Where voluntary overtime is worked with sufficient frequency and regularity, this normal remuneration should be reflected in pay in respect of the statutory annual leave. However, current legislation provides no definition of regularity. As DWP is still determining the elements that will form the basis of enhanced holiday payments and how regularity and frequency will be defined within DWP, it is not possible at this time to confirm exactly how many employees based in Job Centres are awaiting payment.

Asylum: Employment

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of Government support systems that help refugees and asylum seekers into work.

Victoria Prentis: Once refugee status has been granted, individuals have immediate access to employment support and services. We recognise that refugees often face additional barriers to labour market participation and are supporting the development of interventions that help to overcome these barriers. This includes developing an integration package which has a strong focus on supporting refugees to move more quickly to self-sufficiency. DWP employment support includes help with job search and English language skills as well as with skills training, CV writing and securing work experience. Local Jobcentre Managers have considerable flexibility to provide tailored support to meet individual needs as required. DWP also works closely with businesses expressing an interest in employing people in response to the situations in Afghanistan and Ukraine. We support them to develop job adverts open to any applicant and then share those adverts with Jobcentres and with the Refugee Employment Network, a charity who work with over 200 Refugee Support Organisations across the UK, to ensure these opportunities are widely advertised.

Homelessness

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Government is taking steps to tackle homelessness this winter.

Victoria Prentis: The Government is committed to tackling homelessness. We have made excellent progress on our commitment to end rough sleeping with levels falling by 49% since 2017, and the Spending Review committed £2 billion to tackle and prevent homelessness over the next three years. This winter, many of the most vulnerable in society will receive extra support via the £37bn of cost of living support package and the Energy Price Guarantee. Discretionary Housing Payments continue to be available to people struggling with housing costs. My department is committed to ensuring people get the benefits they are entitled to and the support to move into work and on with their lives. Under the “duty to refer”, jobcentres in England offer a voluntary referral to local authority housing teams for people who may be homeless or threatened with homelessness. As part of the Government’s new strategy, Ending Rough Sleeping for Good, we are launching an employer covenant to increase opportunities for homeless people.

Universal Credit: Cost of Living Payments

Owen Thompson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has she made of the potential impact of not providing cost of living payments to Universal Credit claimants who have been sanctioned on levels of (a) poverty and (b) fuel poverty.

Victoria Prentis: Claimants who are sanctioned but still have an entitlement to a payment of Universal Credit (UC) during the qualifying assessment period are eligible to receive a Cost-of-Living Payment. Sanctions are calculated with reference to the standard UC allowance only. If a sanction is applied, claimants continue to receive other elements such as housing or childcare costs. If a sanction reduces a claimant’s Universal Credit to £0, a ‘nil award’, for the qualifying assessment period they are not entitled to receive a Cost-of-Living Payment. Those with a Universal Credit ‘nil award’ during the qualifying period who weren’t eligible could be entitled retrospectively if a sanction is successfully appealed and could still be entitled to the second Cost of Living payment. 98.9% of sanctions are for failing to attend a mandatory appointment at a Jobcentre and can often be resolved quickly by claimants getting in touch with the Jobcentre and attending their next appointment. Hardship payments are available as a safeguard to claimants who demonstrate that they cannot meet their immediate and most essential needs (including accommodation, heating, food and hygiene) as a result of their sanction. To support people who need additional help, from October 2022 the Government is providing an additional £500 million to help households with the cost of essentials, bringing the total funding for this support to £1.5 billion. Should people find that they need further support, they may wish to approach their Local Authority to ask about support under the Household Support Fund. For further information please see Cost of Living Payment - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Poverty: Children

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 15 September 2022 to Question 45171 on Poverty: Children, how the Plan for Jobs will help support the families in poverty who are already in work in Barking constituency.

Victoria Prentis: The Government is committed to a sustainable, long-term approach to tackling poverty and supporting people on lower incomes. We will spend over £242bn through the welfare system in 2022/23 including £108bn on people of working age. To support parents to progress in work, we are extending the support jobcentres provide to people in work and on low incomes to help them to increase their earnings and move into better paid quality jobs. This new in-work progression offer started to roll-out from April 2022. Once fully rolled out, we estimate that around 2.1m low-paid benefit claimants will be eligible for support. This will be provided by work coaches and focus on removing barriers to progression such as support with childcare or addressing skills gaps. This new progression offer is in addition to a change the government made last month to the Administrative Earnings Threshold in Universal Credit. By raising the threshold on 26th September 2022, approximately 114,000 more UC claimants on the lowest incomes will benefit from regular work coach support. The Chancellor announced that we would go further and raise the threshold again from January 2023 to expand this support to approximately 120,000 more people. As mentioned in our previous response, this is on top of the support already provided by increasing the National Living Wage to £9.50 per hour and giving nearly 1.7 million families an extra £1,000 a year (on average) through our changes to the Universal Credit taper and work allowances To further support parents to move into and progress in work, eligible UC claimants can claim back up to 85% of their registered childcare costs each month up to a maximum of £646.35 per month for one child and £1,108.04 per month for two or more children. This is on top of the free childcare offer in England which provides 15 hours a week of free childcare for all 3- and 4-year-olds and disadvantaged 2-year-olds, doubling for working parents of 3- and 4-year-olds to 30 hours a week.Around 1.9 million of the most disadvantaged pupils are eligible for and claiming a free school meal, saving families around £450 per year. In addition, around 1.25 million more infants enjoy a free, healthy and nutritious meal at lunchtime as well as over 90,000 disadvantaged further education students. We are also investing £200 million a year to continue the Holiday Activities and Food Programme, which benefitted over 600,000 children last summer, and we have increased the value of the Healthy Start Scheme by a third to £4.25 a week.

Social Security Benefits: Disqualification

Wendy Chamberlain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the policy set out in section 4.31 of the Government's Growth Plan 2022 published on Friday 22nd September 2022 that claimants who do not fulfil their job-search commitment without good reason could have their benefits reduced (a) who will conduct the assessment to determine whether a claimant's benefits will be reduced as part of that policy and (b) if she will set out a definition of the term 'without good reason' as it appears in that policy.

Victoria Prentis: All requirements are set in discussion with the claimant, tailored to their capability and circumstances, making them realistic and achievable. The requirements will be clearly set out in the Claimant Commitment. Where a claimant does not fulfil their agreed requirements, DWP will give them every opportunity to provide their reasons before referring to a Decision Maker. The Decision Maker will take into account the claimant’s individual circumstances, the external situation, and any evidence of good reason they have provided, before deciding whether a sanction is warranted. The Department’s guidance for Universal Credit decision makers is contained in “Advice for Decision Making” (“ADM”) and Decision Makers are trained to judge the merits of each individual case. The Chapter on Good Reason in the ADM can be accessed on gov.uk at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1046460/adm-k2.pdf

Personal Independence Payment: Work Capability Assessment

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing claimants who are applying for both Personal Independence Payment and work capability assessment to re-use evidence already provided for one of those claims for the other application.

Claire Coutinho: We recognise that there is scope to improve the way we deliver our disability benefit assessment services. In ‘Shaping Future Support - The Health and Disability Green Paper’, we proposed ways that could make our services easier to access and make our processes simpler, to improve the experience of people using the health and disability benefits system, including ways of offering greater flexibility and simplicity in the way that assessments are delivered. We will respond to the Green Paper consultation with a White Paper later this year. The Health Transformation Programme (HTP) is modernising Health and Disability benefit services. It is procuring new Functional Assessment Service (FAS) contracts, which will bring together current Health and Disability Assessment Services and Personal Independence Payment assessments under single geographic contracts and provide the foundation for a new integrated Health Assessment Service. The new claimant-focussed service will provide the opportunity to join up the process by re-using information to improve the claimant experience and reduce the time it takes to make a claim.

Social Security Benefits: Cost of Living

Mr Richard Holden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make it her policy that people receiving contributory-based (a) Employment and Support Allowance and (b) other benefits should be eligible for (i) the Cost-of-living Payment and (ii) other financial support for increases in the cost of living.

Victoria Prentis: The Cost of Living Payment is rightly being targeted at low income households who are in receipt of a means-tested income replacement benefit. Non-means tested benefits are not qualifying benefits for the Cost of Living Payment in their own right because people receiving these benefits may have other financial resources available to them. We have no plans to change the current eligibility criteria. Cost of Living Payment, 6 million disabled people who receive an eligible non-means tested disability benefit, including Personal Independence Payments, have received a one-off Disability Cost of Living Payment of £150. These payments are part of the Government’s £15bn package of support and sit alongside a £300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment to anyone entitled to a Winter Fuel Paymentthe extension of the Household Support Fund with an additional £421 million to support households with the cost of essentialsa £150 Council Tax rebate sent earlier this year to those in Council Tax bands A-D in England, creating a total of at least £1,200 in direct support for millionsThe government has announced unprecedented support within its Growth Plan to protect households and businesses from high energy prices. The Energy Price Guarantee and the Energy Bill Relief Scheme are supporting millions of households and businesses with rising energy costs, and the Chancellor made clear they will continue to do so from now until April next year.   The guidance with the full list of support can be found at:Overall government support for the cost of living: factsheet - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Jobcentres: Standards

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department monitors or reviews the quality of entries made by work coaches in a Universal Credit claimant's journal.

Victoria Prentis: Our Jobcentre teams are committed to delivering a quality service to ensure all claimants receive the best possible support to meet their individual circumstances. As part of our service delivery framework, Jobcentre Team Leaders are responsible for monitoring and assuring the quality of services provided to individual claimants through a combination of observation of interviews, feedback, coaching and appraisal. This can include a quality check of any Universal Credit journal messages written by the Work Coach undergoing the observation, as well as other channels of communication with our claimants.Work Coaches undergo a comprehensive learning journey designed to equip them with the tools, skills and behaviours required to provide a high quality, efficient service. They receive on-going learning in their roles and have access to guidance that explains how to ensure that messages left on a claimant’s journal are clear, easy to understand and meet the right standards.

Personal Independence Payment: Underpayments

Wendy Chamberlain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent steps her Department has taken to tackle the number of underpayment errors for PIP applications.

Claire Coutinho: Underpayments are usually identified through the PIP review process or when customers report a change in their circumstances. When a decision is being made on a case related to either a review or reported change in circumstances, if an underpayment identified, any arrears due to the customer are calculated at that time and paid to the customer. Through the DWP quality assurance procedures, if any underpayments are identified when quality checking cases, these are immediately corrected. Any errors identified are fed back to Decision Makers, and if required additional up-skilling and training is put in place.

National Insurance Credits

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she most recently commissioned a distributional analysis of the impact of the Specified Adult Childcare credits scheme.

Alex Burghart: No such assessment has been made.

National Insurance Credits: Publicity

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what was the cost to the public purse of (a) advertising and (b) other activity intended to increase the uptake of Specified Adult Childcare credits in each year since 2011.

Alex Burghart: Qualifying Years of National Insurance for State Pension can be filled whilst working or being self-employed; by being credited with National Insurance credits; and through making voluntary National Insurance contributions. There are a wide range of National Insurance credits available. Specified Adult Childcare Credits are just one of the ways an individual can build a Qualifying Year of National Insurance to protect their future entitlement to State Pension. We do not hold the requested information. Government provides information about Specified Adult Childcare credits on www.gov.uk.

National Insurance Credits

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the effect of Specified Adult Childcare credits being paid for one or more children in a household on income distribution.

Alex Burghart: Qualifying Years of National Insurance for State Pension can be filled whilst working or being self-employed; by being credited with National Insurance credits; and through making voluntary National Insurance contributions.Specified Adult Childcare Credits are one of the many ways an individual can build a Qualifying Year of National Insurance to protect their future entitlement to State Pension. It is a transfer of the National Insurance credit from the primary parent/carer receiving Child Benefit to a Specified Adult providing care. Its award depends on the circumstances between an individual parent and a carer and it is not possible to estimate potential volumes.As with the National Insurance Credit associated with Child Benefit, there is only one credit to be transferred regardless of number of children being claimed for. There is no immediate expenditure associated with the award of the credit. Each credit adds a qualifying year which is used when the individual reaches State Pension age to determine their overall State Pension entitlement.

Carer's Allowance: National Insurance Credits

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in receipt of Carer's Allowance were not receiving Class 1 National Insurance credits in the latest period for which data is available.

Claire Coutinho: This information is only available at disproportionate cost to The Department for Work & Pensions as the Department does not have a business requirement for this information to be retained.

State Retirement Pensions: Females

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will meet with representatives of Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign to discuss the findings of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman report on Women's State Pension Age.

Alex Burghart: The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s investigation into communication of changes to women’s state pension is ongoing. Section 7(2) of the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 states that Ombudsman investigations “shall be conducted in private”. It would be inappropriate to comment on these issues whilst the investigation is ongoing.

Carer's Allowance

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has plans to reduce the number of hours carers must undertake their care work in order to be eligible for Carer's Allowance.

Claire Coutinho: There are no plans to change the eligibility conditions for Carer’s Allowance with respect to the number of hours that care is provided for.

Maternity Allowance: National Insurance Credits

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in receipt of Maternity Allowance were not receiving Class 1 National Insurance credits in the most recent period for which data is available.

Claire Coutinho: DWP does not hold data on the number of people in receipt of Maternity Allowance who were not receiving Class 1 National Insurance credits. All claimants in receipt of Maternity Allowance are automatically entitled to receive Class 1 National Insurance credits. Any Maternity Allowance claimant not receiving these credits should contact HMRC.

Mortgages: Housing Benefits

John McNally: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on the policy proposals announced on 9 June 2022 for Housing Benefit to be counted towards the costs of a mortgage in reforms of the housing market.

Alex Burghart: The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has not yet met with the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to discuss this policy.

Local Housing Allowance

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the calculation of Local Housing Allowance rates applicable in financial year 2022-23.

Alex Burghart: Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates are not intended to cover all rents in all areas. For Great Britain in May 2022, 55% of the households on LHA had rents higher than the LHA rates. For these households the average gap was £146 per month. In April 2020 LHA rates were increased to the 30th percentile of local rents. This significant investment of nearly £1 billion provided 1.5 million claimants with an average £600 more housing support in 2020/21 than they would otherwise have received. LHA rates have been maintained at their increased levels since then, so that everyone who benefitted from the increase will continue to do so. For those who require additional support with housing costs, Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) are available. Since 2011 we have provided almost over £1.5 billion in DHPs.

Personal Independence Payment: Medical Examinations

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the potential effect of non-medical staff performing assessments of Personal Independence Payment applicants on levels of accurate diagnoses.

Claire Coutinho: There are no non-medical staff conducting health assessments for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants. Health professionals (HPs) who conduct assessments include doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and paramedics, who we believe have the required skills set for this type of assessment. It should be noted that the PIP assessment is not a medical assessment requiring the HP to diagnose a condition or its severity and recommend treatment options. Instead, it requires the HP to look at the impact of conditions and impairments on an individuals’ daily life and make a detailed functional assessment. This requires a very different skills set from those involved in the treatment of individuals, with less need for specialist knowledge. After the assessment has been completed, DWP case managers take a holistic view of a claimant’s functional capability and obtain medical advice where necessary, to underpin their findings. Their decision takes into consideration all available evidence such as the claim form, any additional evidence the claimant has provided (e.g. from a carer), any further evidence that the assessment provider has obtained, and the report from the assessment provider.

Housing Benefit: Cost of Living

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of retaining the spare room subsidy rules on recipients of Housing Benefit, in the context of the cost of living crisis.

Alex Burghart: There are no plans to abolish the Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy policy as it strengthens work incentives, is intended to create parity with those in receipt of benefits and renting in the private sector and seeks to encourage greater mobility within the social rented sector. The policy allows for the provision of an additional bedroom for disabled people and carers, foster carers, parents who adopt, parents of service personnel, and people who have suffered a recent bereavement. Additionally, those in receipt of pension age housing benefit are exempt. Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP’s) are available for those who need additional support with housing costs. Since 2011 we have provided almost £1.5billion in DHP’s to local authorities. The Government announced over £37bn of cost of living support earlier this year which includes an extension to the Household Support Fund backed by £421m, running from 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023. This is in addition to the energy bill support announced in September.

Right to Buy Scheme

John McNally: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Prime Minister announcement on Right to buy scheme extension on 9 June, what assessments he has made of the potential merits of allowing Housing Benefit to be counted towards mortgage costs.

Alex Burghart: Since the announcement on the 9 June, the department has begun looking at changing welfare rules so that people who receive housing support can use their benefit towards mortgage payments for a new mortgage instead of on rent. Further consideration of the merits of changing welfare rules to support homeownership will be completed as the policy is developed in line with steers from the new administration. A full equalities impact assessment will also be carried out in due course, and before any legislation is laid with the House.

Personal Independence Payment: Medical Examinations

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many complaints were (a) made about Personal Independence Payment medical assessments in each month from January 2018 to September 2022, (b) upheld and (c) subsequently escalated to the Ombudsman.

Claire Coutinho: The number of complaints received by Capita and Independent Assessment Services (IAS) relating to the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment process, and the amount of those complaints which were upheld, are shown in the tables below. The number of complaints received by the assessment providers during this period, equates to less than 1% of the total number of assessments undertaken.  2018 JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec  Rec’d  840940810790880780810830710810800610Upheld160130190140120140150160170120150150 2019 JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec  Rec’d  880780860710760720870770720900790560Upheld130190160200180150190180160160180160 2020 JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec  Rec’d  610630560360280290280250270320300260Upheld140110130909060604050605070 2021 JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec  Rec’d  300390410390340350320280300270290230Upheld809015012011011090901001007090 2022 JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSep  Rec’d  270270280220260290250290280Upheld70808060908012090100 Please note All volumes have been rounded to the nearest 10.All the above data is derived from contractual management information produced by the assessment providers and may have been derived from a different data set than previously published.  We are unable to provide details of how many of these complaints were subsequently escalated to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). The PHSO usually only accept a complaint for investigation once it has exhausted the assessment providers complaint process, including the Independent Case Examiner (ICE). Although we cannot provide the number of complaints that are escalated to PHSO, I can confirm that they publish final decisions made on all accepted cases here.

Bereavement Support Payment

Jane Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the back dating time limit for claiming Bereavement Support Payment.

Claire Coutinho: The time limits for claiming Bereavement Support Payment are already generous in that an individual would need to be 21 months late in claiming to forfeit the entire benefit. The existing three-month time limit for the monthly instalments is consistent with other social security benefits, and for the lump sum the time limit is 12 months; we believe these are reasonable lengths of time to make a claim.

Employment: Disability

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of disability employment rates.

Claire Coutinho: The disability employment rate is 53.0% for the quarter April-June 2022, up 0.6 percentage points from the same quarter in 2021. This rate has steadily risen since 2013, when comparable data collection began, with an overall increase of 9.4 percentage points since 2013.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Animal Welfare: Electric Shock

Greg Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 30 September 2022 to Question 53520 on Animal Welfare: Electric Shock, what comparative assessment he has made of the power of electric (a) livestock fences and (b) training collars; and on what basis his Department concluded that electric livestock fences only produce slight discomfort for the animals which touch them.

Scott Mann: The proposed ban on the use of electric shock collars controlled by hand-held devices was developed after considering a broad range of factors, including the potential impacts of such a ban. HM Government considered academic research, public consultation responses, and direct engagement with the sector and concluded that these devices present an unacceptable risk to the welfare of dogs and cats and that their use should not be permitted. The Code of Recommendations for the Welfare of Livestock states, users of electric fences should ensure that they are designed, constructed, used and maintained properly, so that when animals touch them, they only feel slight discomfort. As stated in our answer to Question 53520, anyone causing unnecessary suffering as a result of a poorly installed electric fence may be prosecuted under relevant animal welfare legislation. In addition, please note that the statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs includes guidance and reminders for owners about their responsibilities to provide for the welfare needs of their animal, but also to keep their dogs safe and under control. The code of practice is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/697953/pb13333-cop-dogs-091204.pdf

Animal Products: Overseas Trade

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department plans to publish legislation on banning the import and export of hunting trophies.

Scott Mann: We have pledged to ban the import of hunting trophies from thousands of species. HM Government is committed to a ban that is among the strongest in the world and leads the way in protecting endangered animals. We welcome the Private Member's Bill, led by the hon. Member for Crawley, that will deliver this.

Timber: Imports

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to prevent import of (a) timber products illegally logged in the Congo Basin and (b) products produced in countries outside the Congo Basin using timber illegally logged within that country.

Scott Mann: HM Government has a long and proud history of supporting action to combat deforestation and promote the sustainable management of the world’s forests. The United Kingdom was instrumental in the EU adopting the 2003 Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan, which aims to improve forest governance, reduce illegal logging and encourage trade in legally sourced timber. The FLEGT Action Plan is manifest in the UK through two sets of regulations, the UK Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade Regulations, and the UK Timber Regulations. Timber being imported from the Congo Basin into the United Kingdom is subject to UK Timber Regulations. These prohibit the placing of illegally harvested timber and timber products on the UK market and requires operators, those first placing such products on the market, to exercise due diligence. This includes gathering information on timber, including its species, quantity, supplier, country of harvest and compliance with applicable legislation. Operators must then assess the risk of timber being illegal and mitigate any identified risk by taking steps to verify legality. Importers are also obliged to consider all species in composites separately. This includes species from the Congo Basin which are then processed into timber products in a third country and exported to the UK. Those who trade in timber and timber products after they have been placed on the market are required to keep records of who they buy timber products from and any traders they sell them to. This enables timber and timber products to be traced along the supply chain. The Office for Product Safety and Standards is appointed by Defra to enforce the regulations in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, checking that appropriate records are maintained by traders and operators and ensuring that the due diligence systems of operators are fit for purpose.

Litter

Aaron Bell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to tackle littering in (a) city centres, (b) town centres, (c) the UK and (d) the Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency.

Trudy Harrison: Litter policy is a devolved matter. Defra is the lead department for litter policy in England.In 2017 Defra published the Litter Strategy for England which sets out our aim to deliver a substantial reduction in litter and littering within a generation. Since publishing the Litter Strategy, we have bolstered councils' enforcement powers, such as by almost doubling the maximum fixed penalty for littering, published guidance on the provision of litter bins and provided nearly £1 million across 44 councils to help councils purchase new bins.We have also brought together chewing gum producers as part of a voluntary producer responsibility scheme that has recently announced funding of £1.25 million to help more than 40 councils across the United Kingdom clean gum off pavements. It is the first project of the five-year programme through which gum producers will invest up to £10 million to help tackle chewing gum littering.We are also actively exploring options for tackling cigarette butt littering. Our current proposals for extended producer responsibility for packaging will place the financial costs of managing street bin litter on producers and we have consulted on introducing a deposit return scheme for drinks containers which we estimate can reduce drinks containers being littered by 85%. Further details for when a deposit return scheme will be introduced will be set out in HM Government response to last year's consultation. We are working towards publication in late 2022.

Dogs: Animal Welfare

Aaron Bell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to prevent healthy dogs from being euthanised in the UK.

Scott Mann: We committed in the Action Plan for Animal Welfare to seek greater assurance that alternatives to euthanasia are explored before a healthy dog is put down.In 2021, we worked closely with the veterinary profession to develop an approach that works for all parties. Following these discussions, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RVCS) agreed to incorporate the principle of microchip scanning before euthanasia into the guidance that underpins their Code of Professional Conduct. This applies to all veterinary surgeons practising in the United Kingdom.The Code requires veterinary surgeons to scan for a microchip in dogs prior to euthanasia where, in their professional judgement, it is not necessary to put the dog down on animal health or welfare grounds. Checking the details on the relevant microchip database reveals who the animal's registered keepers are and can also alert the veterinary surgeon to anyone else who may have an interest in the animal. This may include rescue centres which have entered support back-up information on the microchip record. This information can help inform consideration about alternatives to euthanasia. We continue to engage with the RCVS about how these changes are working in practice.In addition, we recently held a consultation to seek views on changes to current microchipping legislation which, if adopted, may make it easier and simpler for veterinary surgeons when they apply this RCVS guidance.

Coastal Erosion

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many areas have been designated as a Coastal Change Management Area.

Trudy Harrison: Neither Defra or the Environment Agency maintain a record of the number of CCMAs that have been designated and adopted by coastal local planning authorities.An independent study in 2019, found that 22 out of 95 Coastal Planning Authorities were using CCMAs, with a further 10 Local Planning Authorities having an intention to do so.HM Government has committed to review the effectiveness of existing planning policy on Coastal Change Management Areas.On 25 th August 2022, HM Government published a significant update to the Flood Risk and Coastal Change Planning Practice Guidance. The updated guidance provides more detail on the designation of Coastal Change Management Areas. The Environment Agency will provide data and advice to coastal planning authorities where they are considering designating CCMAs.

Cats: Animal Welfare

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason cats and kittens do not receive the same level of protections afforded to dogs and puppies in the Kept Animals Bill.

Scott Mann: The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill was reintroduced to the House of Commons in May 2022 and will progress to Report Stage as soon as parliamentary time allows. The Bill includes a number of reforms that apply to the welfare of cats and kittens.The Bill includes new restrictions to reduce the number of cats and kittens (as well as dogs and ferrets) that can be moved into Great Britain under the pet travel rules which apply to non-commercial movements. This will prevent unscrupulous traders from exploiting our pet travel rules.In August 2021, HM Government launched a consultation on our proposed restrictions to the commercial and non-commercial movement of pets into Great Britain using powers included in the Bill. The consultation sought views on whether maintaining the existing requirements in relation to cats and kittens was the right approach. We are currently analysing the responses to the consultation and will publish a summary in due course. We will continue to work closely with external partners prior to the introduction of the secondary legislation, to ensure that our final measures are well considered and led by the latest evidence.The Bill also introduces a new dog abduction offence and a power to extend the offence to include the abduction of other pet animals, including cats, using secondary legislation.Our Action Plan on Animal Welfare, published in May 2021, included a number of reforms applicable to cats that do not require primary legislation. For example, we announced in December 2021 that we will introduce compulsory microchipping for all owned cats of 20 weeks and older and we expect to introduce the draft secondary legislation to Parliament by the end of this year.During the Commons Committee stage of the Bill last year, the regulation of cat breeding was raised as a consideration. We are currently engaging with external partners to collate data and explore future options.

Horticulture: Seasonal Workers

Selaine Saxby: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the recent recommendation in the Automation in Horticulture Review on a long-term Seasonal Workers Scheme for edible horticulture starting in 2022.

Mark Spencer: During 2021 my Department undertook a review of automation in horticulture, covering both the edible and ornamental sectors in England. We have now published this review (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defra-led-review-of-automation-in-horticulture). The review recommended extending the Seasonal Worker visa route to 'mind the gap' until automation technologies have developed enough to reduce the sector's reliance on seasonal labour. The review provides a better understanding of what is required to accelerate the development and uptake of automation technologies in both the edible and ornamental sectors, in England, with the view to reducing the sector's long-term dependency on seasonal migrant labour from 2022 onwards. Non-binding recommendations are put forward to increase adoption of available technology and accelerate development of innovative automation and robotics. HM Government will consider the report's recommendations and will respond in due course. Our responses to the review will work alongside the recently extended and expanded Seasonal Workers visa route - and Defra's efforts to attract more residents of the United Kingdom into agricultural work - to support the overall aim of reducing the sector's dependency on seasonal migrant labour. HM Government recognises the importance of a reliable source of seasonal labour for crop picking and packing, and that it is a key part of bringing in the harvest for the horticultural sector. That is why the Prime Minster committed to look at expanding seasonal workers schemes in the leadership campaign and we have already extended the seasonal worker visa route to 2024. Discussions are on-going with the Home Office on the visa allocation for 2023. As announced in the Government Food Strategy in June, HM Government has now commissioned an independent review which will consider how automation, domestic labour and migrant labour can contribute to tackling labour shortages in the food supply chain. The review will focus on farming, processing, and food and drink manufacturing as sectors which are critical for food production and food security. This review, due to report in spring of 2023, will inform our thinking on the Seasonal Workers scheme beyond that.

Environmental Land Management Schemes

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of maintaining the current Environmental Land Management Scheme.

Mark Spencer: Environmentally sustainable farming is fundamental to our new approach to England's agricultural system and the Environmental Land Management Schemes are an important step towards achieving our 25 Year Environment Plan ambitions and our carbon net zero goals.

Horse Racing: Animal Welfare

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government is taking steps to (a) increase regulation and (b) ensure the (i) safety and (ii) welfare of professional racing horses.

Scott Mann: HM Government shares the public's high regard for animal welfare, and we are committed to making the United Kingdom a world leader in the protection of animals. The welfare needs of racehorses, both during their racing lives and afterwards, should be a priority for all involved in the horseracing sector.The British Horseracing Authority (BHA), British racing's governing and regulatory body, is responsible for the safety of racehorses at British racecourses. The BHA works alongside the RSPCA and World Horse Welfare to make horseracing as safe as possible.We encourage anyone with evidence that a racehorse has suffered unnecessarily to get in touch with the BHA and share their concerns. In the most severe cases of misuse, an individual may be investigated under the 2006 Animal Welfare Act, as well as receiving significant sanctions from the sport.HM Government welcomed the creation of the racing industry's Horse Welfare Board (HWB), which was formed in March 2019. The Board includes members from across the racing industry, veterinarians and animal health and welfare experts. The HWB set out a strategic plan to improve the welfare of horses before, during and after their racing careers in its 2020 publication, A Life Well Lived. You can find the publication here: https://www.britishhorseracing.com/press_releases/a-life-well-lived-british-racings-horse-welfare-board-publishes-five-year-welfare-strategy/My department will continue to meet with the BHA and the HWB to discuss progress on implementing recommendations from the strategy, including the recommendations from the Whip Consultation Report. We will continue to engage with the sector to ensure that the welfare of racehorses remain at the forefront of the BHA's priorities.

Plastics: Waste

Beth Winter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to introduce mandatory corporate reporting on plastic reduction.

Trudy Harrison: HM Government currently has no plans to bring forward legislative proposals to introduce mandatory corporate reporting on plastic reduction.

Incinerators

Beth Winter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will take steps to establish a moratorium on new incineration capacity in England.

Trudy Harrison: Defra has no plans to introduce a moratorium on new incineration capacity in England.

School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to review the current policy and delivery method of the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme as detailed in the Government's Food Strategy.

Mark Spencer: Decisions on policy and delivery of the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme are a matter for the Department of Health and Social Care.

Bottles: Deposit Return Schemes

Beth Winter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what target date his Department has set to introduce an all-in deposit return scheme for plastic bottles.

Trudy Harrison: Further details on when a Deposit Return Scheme will be introduced will be set out in a HM Government response to last year's consultation. We are working towards publication in late 2022.

Seasonal Workers

Stuart C McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of seasonal workers working in the UK by labour provider as of 1 August 2022.

Stuart C McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an estimate of the number of farms in the UK with workers employed on the seasonal workers visa scheme; and the number of farms in the UK with each labour provider.

Mark Spencer: We cannot publish any numbers with regards to the Seasonal Workers visa route which are outside of official approved Home Office published statistics. Details of the numbers of visas granted for seasonal workers, through the Seasonal Worker visa route, have been published in the usual way via the Home Office's quarterly immigration statistics.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: EU Law

Claire Hanna: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions his Department has had with its counterparts in (a) Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Northern Ireland on the review of Retained EU Law under his Department’s remit; and what steps his Department is taking to involve the devolved administrations in that review.

Scott Mann: Defra has a strong and long-standing record of regular and frequent collaboration with the devolved administrations, and the department is continuing to engage at technical and senior official levels on the review of Retained EU Law. This includes planning for the anticipated actions required under the Retained EU Law Bill and the associated secondary legislative programme.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Meetings

Jim McMahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish a list of everyone he has met in his official capacity since his appointment.

Mark Spencer: Ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings are published quarterly on GOV.UK for all Ministers.Defra: ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Air Pollution: Pollution Control

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the government plans to take to (a) tackle air pollution and (b) find innovative solutions to provide clean air.

Trudy Harrison: Latest published figures show that air pollution has reduced significantly since 2010, with emissions of nitrogen oxides down by 44%, sulphur dioxide down 70% and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) down 18%. However, HM Government absolutely recognises that there is more to do to drive down air pollution and its damaging effects on people's health, the environment, and the economy.The Clean Air Strategy 2019 sets out HM Government's plans to tackle emissions across all sectors. Through the Environment Act 2021 we have also consulted on two new targets for fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) - the pollutant most harmful to human health. This includes an innovative population exposure reduction target which, if achieved, will would on average cut people's exposure to PM 2.5 by over a third by 2040, compared to 2018 levels.We are driving innovative solutions to tackling improve air quality across a range of sectors:· We fund local authorities to use innovative solutions to tackle air quality problems in their local areas through our Air Quality Grant scheme. We have more than doubled the funding paid to local authorities through the 21/22 grant scheme to £11.6 million, and we are now assessing bids for the 22/23 round of funding. Since 2010 more than £42 million has been awarded through the scheme, across almost 500 projects.· In August this year we published our response to our consultation on the UK 'best available techniques' regime, through which we will regulate emissions from larger industry. Our collaborative approach will support business investment, the adoption of new and innovative technologies, and management practices to reduce emissions of air pollutants.· The Farming Transformation Fund provides investment for innovative farming equipment that increases productivity and improves the environment. It offers grants between £25,000 and £500,000.· As climate change and air pollution have many of the same contributing emission sources, delivering net zero will likely significantly benefit air quality. HM Government is supporting a range of innovative clean technologies, many of which are being pioneered by businesses based in all corners of the UK.· We have invested over £2 million in evidence projects to look at the performance of low-cost sensor technologies, including practical trials. This work lays foundations to enable the dependable use of low-cost sensor systems in measuring air pollutant concentrations at finer geographical scales, providing better local forecasts and therefore better information on air quality.As part of the 2017 NO2 plan, we have also made £883 million available to affected local authorities to deliver cleaner transport and improve air quality.

Fishing Limits

Dame Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy not to set catch limits for any stocks that are higher than those recommended by scientific advice in fisheries negotiations with the EU, Norway and North East Atlantic coastal states in the next year.

Mark Spencer: The United Kingdom advocates an approach towards setting Total Allowable Catches (TACs) which is founded on the best available scientific advice and which will maintain or rebuild sustainable fish stocks and fisheries. In addition, for a number of target stocks a further key consideration when setting the TACs is their interaction with other stocks caught in the same mixed fishery.

Biodiversity: Environmental Land Management Schemes

Mick Whitley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of replacing the Environment Land Management scheme with an area-based payment scheme on efforts to halt biodiversity decline by 2030.

Mark Spencer: HM Government has reiterated its commitment to environmental protections and we are not scrapping Environmental Land Management schemes. Subsidies are untargeted, poor value for money, and they undermine efficiency and productivity improvements. As set out in the Growth Plan, we will be looking at the frameworks for regulation, innovation and investment that impact farmers and land managers, to make sure that our policies are best placed to both boost food production and protect the environment. This includes looking at how best to deliver the Environmental Land Management schemes to see where and how improvements can be made, and we will continue to work closely with the sector to ensure these are designed and delivered in their best interests. Farmers and land managers will play an essential role in halting the decline in species, including farmland birds and insects, by 2030. We will publish more information on Environmental Land Management schemes by the end of the year.

Plastics: Waste

Beth Winter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Government's 2019 election manifesto, when the Government will eliminate plastic waste exports to non-OECD countries.

Trudy Harrison: HM Government has committed to banning the export of plastic waste to countries which are not members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), consulting with industry, NGOs, and local councils on the date by which this should be achieved.Defra is developing timelines and a proposal for a public consultation and has recently published independent research [1] which was commissioned to inform the policy development process.[1] https://sciencesearch.defra.gov.uk/ProjectDetails?ProjectId=20615

Farmers: Lump Sum Payments

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications his Department received for the Lump Sum Exit Scheme which closed on 30 September 2022.

Mark Spencer: RPA received 2185 applications to the Lump Sum Exit Scheme up to the closing date on 30 th September 2022.

Plastics: Waste

Beth Winter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what target date his Department has set to entirely eliminate single-use plastic.

Trudy Harrison: HM Government's 25 Year Environment Plan sets out our ambition to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste by 2042. Avoidable plastic waste is waste that it is technologically, environmentally and economically practicable to prevent from becoming residual waste. Plastics have an important role to play in certain applications and we must think carefully about how we solve the problems that arise from plastic waste to avoid unintended consequences.

Marine Protected Areas: Fisheries

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to reduce fishing in Marine Protected Areas.

Trudy Harrison: Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a devolved competency and the information provided therefore relates to England only.We have built a comprehensive network of MPAs and are now focused on making sure they are properly protected. Nearly 60% of our 178 English MPAs are already protected from damaging fishing activity, including byelaws this year in the first four offshore sites, which ban bottom towed gear over sensitive habitats. We are aiming to have all MPAs in English waters protected from damaging fishing activity by 2024.Our aim is not to unduly restrict legitimate fishing activity but to develop byelaws using an evidence-led process to determine what management is required to protect MPAs.

Sheep: Animal Breeding

Mr Richard Holden: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to facilitate the import of (a) semen and (b) other products for (i) rare breed sheep and (ii) Icelandic sheep.

Mark Spencer: Special licences can be sought for the import of semen and other products for rare breed sheep, which are then considered on a case-by-case basis. We remain committed to the diversification of the domestic genetic portfolio in line with the relevant risk assessments in place to maintain our domestic sanitary and phytosanitary standards.Breeding projects in Great Britain over recent years have successfully strengthened domestic flock resistance to the fatal ruminant disease known as scrapie. Introducing genetically susceptible rare breeds into the domestic flock will compromise the excellent work achieved to promote our flock resistance.There is currently only one breed of sheep in Iceland which, unfortunately, does not possess the gene for resistance to scrapie. We recognise that importers are unable to meet the scrapie requirements for our import certificate.

Nature Conservation: Standards

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has taken towards meeting targets to start nature’s recovery by 2030.

Trudy Harrison: Our world-leading Environment Act introduces ambitious measures to address the biggest environmental priorities of our age, including restoring nature. The Act requires a new, legally binding target to be set to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030. This is in addition to setting at least one long-term legally binding target for biodiversity, air quality, water and waste reduction. Biodiversity Net Gain, Local Nature Recovery Strategies and a strengthened biodiversity duty on public authorities will work together to drive action towards our targets for nature recovery.We also published the Nature Recovery Green Paper. This sets out our ambition and proposed approach to enable nature's recovery in England, to support the delivery of our commitment to halt the decline in our biodiversity and protect 30% of our land and sea by 2030. Further, we published a Pollinator Action Plan in May supporting the National Pollinator Strategy. This plan sets out how we will continue to work with partners to help pollinators thrive.The Nature for Climate Fund provides £750 million for the creation, restoration and management of woodland and peatland habitats.  Prior to that, we published our England Peat and Trees Action Plans. These set out our vision for the management, protection, and restoration of peatlands and how we will deliver our aim to at least treble tree planting rates in England by the end of this Parliament.The Green Recovery Challenge Fund is estimated to deliver 0.6mha of habitat creation and restoration within & outside Sites of Special Scientific Interest.  We set a target to raise at least £500 million in private finance to support nature's recovery every year by 2027 in England, rising to more than £1 billion by 2030. We announced at the Spending Review 2021 the investment of more than £250 million over three years to protect and restore nature. This included designating at least 15 new National Nature Reserves and expanding the Species Recovery Programme supported by new grants.We also launched the 21,000 hectares G7 Nature Recovery Legacy Project in Cornwall. We have since launched five more partnership-led landscape-scale Nature Recovery Projects that will help nature recover across an estimated 99,000 hectares. We plan to launch a further six projects in 2022/23.

Agriculture: Vacancies

Owen Thompson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the survey by the National Farmers' Union of England and Wales, published in August 2022, on the potential impact of the shortage of agricultural workers on the harvest in the first half of 2022.

Mark Spencer: A total of 40,000 seasonal worker visas were available in 2022, with 38,000 of these going to the horticulture sector and 2,000 to the poultry sector. HM Government recognises the importance of a reliable source of seasonal labour for crop picking and packing, and that it is a key part of bringing in the harvest for the horticultural sector. That is why the Prime Minster committed to look at expanding seasonal workers schemes in the leadership campaign. In the meantime, we will continue to monitor the labour needs of the agriculture sector and the impacts of these additional visas. My Department works with the agriculture sector - including the National Farmers Union of England and Wales - and other Government Departments to understand labour supply and demand, including for both permanent and seasonal workforce requirements, and to ensure there is a long-term strategy for the farming workforce. As announced in the Government Food Strategy in June, HM Government has now commissioned an independent review which will consider how automation, domestic labour and migrant labour can contribute to tackling labour shortages in the food supply chain. The review will focus on farming, processing, and food and drink manufacturing as sectors which are critical for food production and food security.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: EU Law

Claire Hanna: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which items of Retained EU Law that are within his Department’s remit apply to (a) Wales, (b) Scotland, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) the UK.

Scott Mann: Defra is currently reviewing its retained EU law (REUL) with the devolved administrations. Data on Defra's REUL, including territorial extent, will be published as part of updates to the public data dashboard owned by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Gardens

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential contribution of gardens to the Government's environmental objectives.

Trudy Harrison: HM Government fully recognises the contribution of gardens, alongside the other natural features and spaces making up green infrastructure networks in towns and cities. Green infrastructure contributes to nature recovery and wider environmental benefits as well as making places more attractive to live and work. The 25 Year Environment Plan includes a commitment to introduce stronger new standards for green infrastructure. Natural England is delivering this Green Infrastructure Framework to help local authorities, developers and communities to improve provision in their area.

Environmental Land Management Schemes

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if it remains his policy to fund the (a) Sustainable Farming Incentive, (b) Local Nature Recovery and (c) Landscape Recovery elements of the Environmental Land Management scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to ensure the Environment Land Management Scheme is delivered to its original timetable; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Spencer: As set out in the Growth Plan, we will be looking at the frameworks for regulation, innovation and investment that impact farmers and land managers, to make sure that our policies are best placed to both boost food production and protect the environment. This includes looking at how best to deliver the Environmental Land Management schemes to see where and how improvements can be made, and we will continue to work closely with the sector to ensure these are designed and delivered in their best interests. The environment, farming and economic growth go hand-in-hand and we are committed to our schemes that will support our farmers to produce high-quality food and enhance our natural environment.

Beverage Containers: Deposit Return Schemes

Mr Richard Holden: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government plans to introduce a deposit return scheme for drinks containers in England.

Trudy Harrison: In its 2019 manifesto, HM Government committed to introduce a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers to incentivise people to recycle more and to reduce littering of in-scope containers. HM Government has consulted twice on the introduction of a DRS. The most recent consultation in 2021 sought views on a range of topics to ensure effective delivery of a scheme. We are analysing responses to this consultation with a view to publishing a Government response in late 2022.

Environment Agency: Staff

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the yearly change was in numbers of staff working in the Environment Agency from (a) 2015-16, (b) 2016-2017, (c) 2017-18, (d) 2018-2019, (e) 2019-2020, (f) 2020-21 and (g) 2021-22.

Trudy Harrison: YearTotal employees (payroll employees only)2015/169,6732016/1710,1032017/189,4902018/199,8732019/2010,3262020/2110,2012021/2210,378Sep-2210,890 In 2017/18, 895.9 FTE were TUPE-ed (Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment)) to Defra. Recruitment controls were implemented in 2020/21 to mitigate impacts from COVID and other cost pressures. Since 2021/22, recruitment continues to support an increased capital programme and new duties funded through Spending Review 20 and Flood Recovery funding, as well as ongoing support to Defra group on priority work linked to COVID management.

Seasonal Workers: Scotland

Stuart C McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of seasonal workers working in Scotland by labour provider as of 1 August 2022.

Stuart C McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an estimate of the number of farms in Scotland with workers employed on the seasonal workers visa scheme; and the number of farms in Scotland with each labour provider.

Mark Spencer: We cannot publish any numbers with regards to the Seasonal Workers visa route which are outside of official approved Home Office published statistics. Details of the numbers of visas granted for seasonal workers, through the Seasonal Worker visa route, have been published in the usual way via the Home Office’s quarterly immigration statistics.

Food: Waste

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to help tackle food waste; and what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on taking steps to help ensure food is available to people most affected by the cost of living crisis.

Mark Spencer: HM Government is investing £2.6 million this year to combat food waste. That includes funding the Waste and Resources Action Plan (WRAP) and through them we work to address food waste in households and supply chains.We support the Courtauld 2030 Commitment, a voluntary agreement with industry to tackle food waste, which includes a target of a 50% per capita reduction in food waste by 2030 against a 2007 baseline. Action through Courtauld includes working with businesses to measure and reduce food waste through the Food Waste Reduction Roadmap and the key tool to Target Measure and Act on waste. We recently consulted on options to improve reporting of food waste volumes by large food businesses in England. By increasing the number of businesses measuring and publicly reporting their food waste, we expect to drive action to reduce it.Improved food waste reporting by large food businesses in England - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)Courtauld signatories also play a key role in providing consumers with support in reducing food waste at home for instance through offering storage advice and appropriate labelling.https://wrap.org.uk/taking-action/food-drink/initiatives/courtauld-commitmentHM Government also funds WRAP's citizen campaigns such as Food Waste Action Week and Love Food Hate Waste, which aim to raise public awareness of food waste and the ways in which citizens can reduce it. This includes advice on how to shop for, store and cook foods in ways that minimise waste.https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/Since 2018, around £13 million has been awarded to over 250 redistribution organisations across the country to bolster the capability and capacity of the redistribution sector. This funding has provided important infrastructure such as additional warehousing, vehicles, fridges and freezers to help the sector get more discounted food to charities and food banks.Defra officials continue to work with other relevant Departments on food policy and food insecurity, including on school meals (DfE) and the welfare system (DWP).We recognise that people are facing pressures with the increasing cost of living and that some people continue to require extra support.HM Government is committed to a sustainable, long-term approach to tackling poverty and supporting people on lower incomes. In addition to the Energy support announced by HM Government on 8 September, we have committed £37 billion to tackle the increased cost of living this year. This includes an additional £500 million to help households with the cost of essentials, including food, bringing total funding for this support to £1.5 billion. In England this will take the form of an extension to the Household Support Fund backed by £421 million, running from 1 st October 2022 to 31 st March 2023. Devolved administrations will receive £79 million through the Barnett formula.My Department is taking action to maintain an efficient food supply chain by mitigating against any potential burdens or friction which could otherwise drive-up consumer food prices. In addition, we continue to use regular engagement to work with retailers and producers to explore the range of measures they can take to ensure the availability of affordable food.

Marine Protected Areas: Fisheries

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of bottom trawling on ecosystems in designated Marine Protection Areas.

Trudy Harrison: Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a devolved competency and the information provided therefore relates to England only. The Marine Management Organisation and the Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities assess on a site-by-site basis which fishing activities could prevent MPAs from achieving their conservation objectives. Byelaws are developed using an evidence-led process to determine what management is required to protect sites and to not unduly restrict legitimate fishing activity. Nearly 60% of our 178 English MPAs are already protected from damaging fishing activity, including byelaws this year in the first four offshore sites, which ban bottom towed gear over sensitive habitats. We are aiming to have all MPAs in English waters protected from damaging fishing activity by 2024.

Sewage: Waste Disposal

David Warburton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the policy paper entitled Storm overflows discharge reduction plan, published by his Department on 26 August 2022, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) accelerating the timescale targets and (b) bringing forward the date of the 2027 review.

Trudy Harrison: HM Government is prioritising action to improve water quality, including action to address storm overflows. Water companies are investing £3.1 billion to improve storm overflows between 2020 and 2025, and we continue to work with them to accelerate progress wherever possible. The targets in the storm overflows discharge reduction plan are ambitious, and time bound, allowing for the water industry to deliver traditional solutions and bring forward innovative nature-based solutions where appropriate. We want the best solutions with the most benefits to our environment, communities and climate to be taken forward, and these will require careful planning by the industry: HM Government must consider the capacity of the supply chains to deliver in line with our targets and timelines, and the disruption that constructing new infrastructure brings to society as well as our environmental ambitions. HM Government is committing to review the targets in the plan in 2027. This will occur ahead of the 2029-2034 water company planning cycle (PR29) once new information, including from companies’ business plans, is available. This will allow us to establish if companies can go further and faster to achieve the storm overflow targets in this Plan without having a disproportionate impact on consumers bills. This will also feed into broader reporting mechanisms under the Environment Act 2021, such as through the Environmental Improvement Plan, to monitor and assess how this and other actions are contributing to the broader recovery of river and water habitats.

Home Office

Biometric Residence Permits

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) mean and (b) median waiting time was for a biometric residence permit card application in the latest period for which data is available.

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many outstanding applications there are for biometric residence permits; and how many of those applications were outstanding at the end of (a) 2018, (b) 2019, (c) 2020 and (d) 2021.

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of time taken to (a) process and (b) approve a Biometric Residence Permit applications.

Tom Pursglove: BRPs are issued to customers as part of the visa application process. Customers do not submit separate applications for BRPs; therefore, information on the number of outstanding BRP applications is not available.The waiting times for biometric residence permits (BRP) are dictated by the BRP production and delivery processes.We aim to deliver a BRP within 7 working days of the immigration decision. BRPs are produced at the secure delivery facility (Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA)) within 48 hours of the production request being made and are collected by our secure delivery partner the same day. Our secure delivery partner (FedEx) aims to attempt to deliver the BRPs within 48 hours of receipt of the BRPs. This equates to a minimum of 5 working days from date of production request being made to delivery of the BRP. We have added an additional 2 working days to the timeline advised to applicants to allow us to resolve any production issues.In September, the DVLA produced all BRPs within 48 hours of the production request, with 91.1% being produced within 24 hours. In September, FedEx attempted to deliver 99.88% of BRPs within 48 hours.

Bombings: Sri Lanka

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Metropolitan Police are taking steps to support the investigation into the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka.

Tom Tugendhat: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Hezbollah

Sir George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people in the UK have been prosecuted for inviting support for Hezbollah since that organisation was fully proscribed.

Tom Tugendhat: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Hezbollah

Sir George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people in the UK have been prosecuted for expressing support for Hezbollah since that group was fully proscribed.

Tom Tugendhat: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Disinformation: Iran

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to counter Iranian government disinformation in the UK.

Tom Tugendhat: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Dahua Technology and Hikvision: CCTV

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of using or procuring (a) Hikvision or (b) Dahua surveillance technologies.

Tom Tugendhat: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

National Security Bill: Journalism

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had recent discussions with the National Union of Journalists on the potential impact of the National Security Bill on members of that organisation.

Tom Tugendhat: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Home Office: Customer Charter

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to update the Customer Charter issued in 2018.

Tom Tugendhat: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the current protests in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini, if the Government will take steps to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation.

Tom Tugendhat: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Unexplained Wealth Orders

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Unexplained Wealth Orders have been (a) sought and (b) granted since the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022 came into effect.

Tom Tugendhat: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Home Office: Disclosure of Information

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many subject access requests her Department has (a) received and (b) responded to within the statutory limit in the last five years.

Tom Tugendhat: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Domestic Abuse: Victim Support Schemes

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to research by Women's Aid on the impact of increases in the cost of living on women who have experienced domestic abuse, published on 1 August 2022, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of providing additional financial support, above what has been provided for energy costs, to help support victims of domestic abuse in winter 2022.

Mims Davies: Tackling domestic abuse is a priority for this Government. As is ensuring all victims and survivors of this heinous crime get the support they need.I have discussed with ministerial colleagues how best to tackle domestic abuse.An integral part of this work will be to deliver commitments made in The Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan, published in March 2022. The Plan invests over £230 million into tackling domestic abuse, including over £140 million for supporting victims. This funding year, the Home Office has also provided over £190,000 to the Police and Crime Commissioner of Leicestershire to support the delivery of a programme that aims to change perpetrator's behaviour.As part of the Plan, my department committed to run trials of the ‘flexible funding model’. This is where funds are given to charities who support victims and survivors. Those charities would then have wide-ranging discretion on how these funds can be used. This includes addressing financial obstacles to victims and survivors moving forward with their lives.We are aware the cost of living may exacerbate risk factors for victims and survivors of domestic abuse. We are listening to feedback from stakeholders, including Women’s Aid, and are taking this into account through our work on flexible funding.

Visas: Fees and Charges

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to remove visa fees for applicants that have been previously denied a visa.

Tom Pursglove: The Home Office has no plans to remove visa fees for applicants who have previously been denied a visa. The fee paid is for the consideration of an application and is payable regardless of the decision made.Where a fee is payable, it must be paid in full as specified by the Immigration and Nationality Fees Regulations 2018 in order for the application to be valid.

Refugees: Afghanistan

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 28 July 2022 to Question 38653 on Refugees: Afghanistan, how many of the 7,000 Afghans referenced have moved into permanent accommodation.

Tom Pursglove: We have been working as fast as possible to support Afghan families into homes of their own, so that they can settle into their local communities, feel safe and independent and rebuild their lives in the UK.At 12 August 2022, 7,385 people have moved into a home, or have been matched to a home and are waiting to move in. This does not include families who have made their own accommodation arrangements.

Asylum: Children

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many unaccompanied asylum-seeking children were housed in UK hotels in each month from October 2021 to September 2022.

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many unaccompanied asylum-seeking children aged (a) 14 years old, (b) 15 years old, (c) 16 years old and (d) 17 years old have been accommodated in hotels in the UK since October 2021.

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many unaccompanied asylum-seeking children have been housed in hotels since October 2021; and in which local authorities hotels used for that purpose were located.

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average length of stay has been for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children housed in UK hotels since October 2021.

Tom Pursglove: The number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children arriving in hotels by month since October 2021 is given in the table below.Oct-21148Nov-21329Dec-21194Jan-22101Feb-2230Mar-22314Apr-22198May-22223Jun-22253Jul-22238Aug-22585Sep-22499 The breakdown by age of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children aged (a) 14 years old, (b) 15 years old, (c) 16 years old and (d) 17 years old arriving in hotels since October 2021 is given in the table below. This information is based on their age on the date the young person arrived in the hotelAgeNumber1426015639161,191171,051  The number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children arriving in hotels since the start of October 2021 is 3,256. This figure is based on arrivals in the hotel during that period, rather than those who were already accommodated in the hotels at the start of October 2021.The hotels are in the local authorities of Kent; Brighton & Hove; East Sussex; and Warwickshire. The average length of stay for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children housed in UK hotels since October 2021 is 16.34 days. All the figures given above are taken from a live operational database. As such, numbers may change as information on that system is updated.

Slavery

Sarah Olney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help ensure that UK companies are transparent about the actions they are taking to prevent modern slavery in their supply chains.

Tom Pursglove: Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 requires businesses with a turnover of £36m or more and who operate part of their business in the UK, to report annually on the steps they have taken to prevent modern slavery in their operations and supply chains. The transparency legislation was designed to enable consumers, investors and civil society to scrutinise business action. In March 2021, the Government launched the Modern Slavery Statement Registry to radically enhance transparency by bringing together modern slavery statements on a single platform and making the data readily available for the public. Since launch, over 8,950 modern slavery statements covering over 30,320 organisations, have been submitted to the registry on a voluntary basis. The Government is committed to strengthening our approach to modern slavery and building on the world-leading legislation on transparent supply chains introduced in the Modern Slavery Act 2015.Following a public consultation, the Government committed to taking forward an ambitious package of measures to strengthen the Act’s transparency legislation, including:Extending the reporting requirement to public bodies with a budget of £36 million or more;Mandating the specific reporting topics statements must cover;Requiring organisations to publish their statement on the Government Modern Slavery Statement Registry. In January 2021 the Government further committed to introduce financial penalties for organisations who fail to meet their statutory obligations to publish annual modern slavery statements.These measures require primary legislation which will be introduced when parliamentary time allows.

Homes for Ukraine Scheme

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to Answer 13 July 2022 to Question 32954, what proportion of applications have been processed within 48 hours in the last six months.

Tom Pursglove: Data on Ukraine schemes can be found here Ukraine Family Scheme, Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine) and Ukraine Extension Scheme visa data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk), however the information requested is not published.

UK Border Force: Patrol Craft

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress his Department has made on the procurement of the UK's new border force vessels.

Tom Pursglove: The next key step on the procurement of the UK’s new Border Force vessels is working closely with the National Shipbuilding Office, on the commencement of market engagement. Wider programme activity being progressed in parallel includes: continuing to develop the strategic case; working up the broad requirements set; scoping the cost benefit analysis; and building the programme team.

Application Registration Card

Sir George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of asylum seekers did not receive an Asylum Registration Card when they made their asylum claim in (a) 2020 and (b) 2021.

Sir George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the average waiting time for an asylum seeker to receive an Asylum Registration Card if it is not issued at the point of making an asylum claim.

Sir George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers are waiting to receive an Asylum Registration Card.

Tom Pursglove: The Home Office does not hold this information.

Northern Ireland Strategic Migration Partnership: Finance

Stephen Farry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing additional funding to the Northern Ireland Strategic Migration Partnership to support the resumption of its operations that ceased in April 2022.

Tom Pursglove: The Home Office is currently reviewing options for the future funding of the Strategic Migration Partnership (SMP) in Northern Ireland.We are reviewing options which consider the various funding streams in Northern Ireland that elsewhere in the UK are managed under a single grant agreement with the SMPs, with the aim of implementing a new system that brings together these funding streams in a more cohesive way, allowing for greater joined-up working across Northern Ireland.

Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis: Public Appointments

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has met with the New Commissioner for the Metropolitan Police since her appointment.

Jeremy Quin: The Home Secretary has met with the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police on more than one occasion and will continue to do so as part of her role, as well as engaging with other senior colleagues across the policing sector.

Immigration: EU Nationals

Stuart C McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2022 to Question 45846 on Immigration: EU Nationals and with reference to the correspondence from the the3million to his Department of 11 August 2022, whether the instances of personal data breaches alleged in that correspondence (a) did not happen, (b) did not require reporting and (c) have not been investigated.

Tom Pursglove: We are unable to comment on specific cases without further information. However, we are aware of technical issues with similar characteristics to the three case studies provided in the correspondence from the3million, where individuals have reported that other individuals’ face images or personal details appeared on their online digital immigration status. These technical issues can sometimes constitute data breaches. We handle data breaches extremely seriously and if they occur they are reported and raised with relevant teams in accordance with Home Office data handling procedures. All such incidents are then referred to the relevant Data Protection Officer to investigate and assess against the data protection legislation to determine next steps and raise to the ICO if necessary. No data breaches relating to digital immigration status have been raised to the ICO as they fall below the threshold for escalation. All technical issues reported by users of digital immigration status are logged, investigated, and fixed at the root cause to prevent users experiencing the same issues again.

HM Passport Office: Finance

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total budget for the Passport Office (a) was in financial year 2021-22 and (b) is in financial year 2022-23.

Tom Pursglove: The annual budget of the Passport Office is published every year as part of Customer Services Capability within the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts.For financial year 2021-22, refer to pages 128-129, published as part of the Statement of Outturn against Parliamentary Supply (SOPS), in the 2021-22 Home Office Annual Report and Accounts. See:Home_Office_ARA_21-22_Final_-_Gov.uk.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)With regards to the 2022-23 budget, you can find the information required in the published Main Supply Estimates. Refer to page 84 (page 87 on the PDF reader). See:Central Government Supply Estimates 2022-23 – Main Supply Estimates (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Anti-social Behaviour: Wakefield

Simon Lightwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of charge rates for anti-social behaviour in Wakefield constituency.

Jeremy Quin: The Government is committed to tackling and preventing crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB). We know the serious impact that persistent ASB can have on both individuals and communities.The Home Secretary has set out her priority to deliver justice and high-quality outcomes for victims, and concern at the current levels of cases being investigated and converted into charges and prosecutions.This government is committed to ensuring the Criminal Justice System works better together, including improving the charge rates which have dropped for many crimes.

Home Office: Ministers

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she will appoint a new Minister for Refugees.

Tom Pursglove: The Immigration Minister is responsible for safe and legal routes to the UK.

Refugees: Afghanistan

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the online application process for a Family Visa would permit an undocumented refugee from Afghanistan who had escaped to (a) Turkey and (b) another third country to (i) submit an application and (ii) provide biometric details as proof of family connection.

Tom Pursglove: An undocumented refugee from Afghanistan, who is applying to join family who are recognised refugees in the UK, will be able to complete an online application form and attend a visa application centre to provide their biometric details without having to provide their passport details.

Visas: Applications

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that decisions on UK visas are made within expected service standards.

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of UK Visas and Immigration (a) response and (b) decision times; and if she will make a statement.

Tom Pursglove: UKVI has faced extremely high pressures in the past two years. All visa routes have seen extremely high demand following the end of the pandemic, easing of travel restrictions and helping people forced to flee their homes as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine The Home Office is working hard to speed up decision-making by rolling out better, more efficient technology, including digital interviewing and moving away from a paper-based system. We are also continuing to recruit more decision-making staff We publish our current service standards on gov.uk for both in-country and out of country applications, which includes details of current operational processing times so customers have a realistic indication of how long their applications will take to be processed. We encourage customers to continue to refer to these updates as our processing times change on a regular basis. The link to this guidance for in-country applications is: Visa decision waiting times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and out of country applications is: Visa decision waiting times: applications outside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Asylum: Rwanda

Stuart C McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the cost within the current financial year of attempted deportations to Rwanda; and what estimate she has made of the total cost of planned deportations under that programme in the next five years.

Tom Pursglove: The costs of our broken asylum system are at a 20-year record high, currently costing the UK taxpayer over £2 billion a year. This cannot continue – and the partnership with Rwanda is a key part of our plans to reform the system and put an end to unsustainable costs which impact the taxpayer.The UK has provided Rwanda with an initial investment of £120m as part of the Migration and Economic Development Partnership. The UK will also be funding the processing costs for each person relocated, such as caseworkers, legal advice, translators, accommodation, food, healthcare, and for those granted protection, a comprehensive integration package to help them put down roots and start a new life. The UK has also made a £20m upfront payment to the Government of Rwanda to support initial set up costs.We do not routinely disclose commercial or operational information relating to individual charter flights.Actual spend will be reported as part of the annual Home Office Reports and Accounts in the usual way.

Refugees: Afghanistan

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when Pathway 3 of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme will open for the next round of applications.

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what groups will be eligible under Pathway 3 of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme when applications reopen.

Tom Pursglove: The Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) will provide up to 20,000 women, children, and others at risk with a safe and legal route to resettle in the UK over the coming years. Under the first year of Pathway 3 of the ACRS, we will offer resettlement places to up to 1,500 people from the three identified cohorts (British Council and Gardaworld contractors and Chevening alumni). This includes the principal and their eligible family members in Afghanistan and the region.The online referral process for this pathway closed on 15 August 2022. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) will be in touch with those eligible to support them through the next steps. Beyond the first year of Pathway 3, the Government will work with our international partners and NGOs to welcome wider groups of Afghans at risk. Further information on future years will be made available in due course. Further information on ACRS Pathway 3 in the first year can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/afghan-citizens-resettlement-scheme-pathway-3-eligibility-for-british-council-and-gardaworld-contractors-and-chevening-alumni.

Abortion: Protest

Dame Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department is taking steps to prevent protests outside healthcare facilities providing abortion care in England.

Mims Davies: The existing laws give the police and local authorities the powers they need to deal with harmful protests, and the Government expects the police and local authorities to use their existing powers appropriately to deliver a locally-driven response.Given the scale, frequency and nature of abortion-related protests, we believe that national buffer zones outside abortion clinics in England and Wales would be disproportionate.The Government is clear that it is unacceptable that patients seeking healthcare advice or staff working in healthcare facilities should feel intimidated or harassed.

Vetting: Care Workers

Abena Oppong-Asare: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to address delays to DBS checks for people recruited to the care sector.

Mims Davies: The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) operates to service standards of completing 80% of Basic check applications within two days, 80% of Standard check applications within 14 days, and 80% of Enhanced check applications within 14 days.Year to date performance up to August 2022 is 85.1% for Basic checks, 96% for Standard checks, and 78.4% for Enhanced checks. These attainments apply to applications across all employment sectors, including the care sector.DBS Adult First is a service provided by the DBS that can be used in cases where, exceptionally, and in accordance with the terms of Department of Health guidance, a person is permitted to start work with adults before a DBS Certificate has been obtained. This applies to adult services such as care homes, domiciliary care agencies and adult placement schemes where DBS Certificates are required by law.Depending on the result from the DBS Adult First, a person can be permitted to start work, under supervision, with vulnerable adults before a DBS certificate has been obtained. Staff working within COVID roles in social and healthcare can also start in advance based on the outcome of the DBS Adult First check.More guidance regarding adult first checks can be found on the Disclosure and Barring Service website

Visas: Applications

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps she has taken to ensure that target response times for visa decisions are met.

Tom Pursglove: UKVI has faced extremely high pressures over the past two years. All visa routes have seen extremely high demand following the end of the pandemic and the easing of travel restrictions. The Home Office also prioritised capacity earlier this year to help people forced to flee their homes, as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, get to safety through our Ukraine visa schemes.UKVI has been working hard to reduce processing times and is now back within service standard across a number of our visa routes. UKVI is working hard to speed up decision-making by rolling out better, more efficient technology, including digital interviewing, and moving away from a paper-based system, as well as recruiting more decision-making staff.UKVI have updated guidance on expected waiting times so that customers have a realistic indication of how long their applications will take to be processed. We encourage customers to continue to refer to these updates as our processing times change on a regular basis. The link to this guidance for in-country applications is: Visa decision waiting times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and out of country applications is: Visa decision waiting times: applications outside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Immigration

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 20 September to Question 45259, how many people were given immigration status 3C leave in (a) 2019, (b) 2020, (c) 2021, and (d) January to September 2022.

Tom Pursglove: The Home Office does not hold this information.

Visas: Skilled Workers

Janet Daby: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to increase the number of GP surgeries registered as skilled worker visa sponsors.

Tom Pursglove: The Government is working to increase the number of GP surgeries registered as Home Office sponsors. The Home Office continues to deliver an extensive, wide-reaching campaign and engagement programme – both virtual and in-person - targeting employers and other interested parties about the new immigration system. This included a dedicated joint Home Office and Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) event for GP surgeries in 2021. Sponsorship is straightforward and business-friendly; the majority of sponsors on our register are SMEs, much like GP surgeries are likely to be and the Government strongly encourages more surgeries to become sponsors as the quickest way for the sector to attract and retain international GPs.More broadly, the Home Office have already delivered a range of measures to support the health and care sector to recruit GPs to work in the UK. The Home Office launched the Health & Care visa in 2020, which makes it easier, cheaper, and quicker for health workers to come and stay in the UK to work, compared to other immigration routes.The Home Office and the DHSC continues to work together to raise awareness of the Health and Care visa.

Gangmasters: Licensing

Stuart C McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) checks, (b) inspections and (c) monitoring the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority undertakes on the licensing of scheme operators that (i) recruit and (ii) supply workers under the Seasonal Worker visa scheme; and what is the number of inspections that are required for (A) applying for and (B) maintaining a license.

Tom Pursglove: The Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) regulates the activities of labour providers, who supply temporary workers into the agricultural sector. The purpose of the GLAA licensing regime is to prevent exploitation of workers and improve standards of compliance by labour suppliers. Any labour provider that supplies workers in the agricultural sector must hold a GLAA licence. As each of the Seasonal Worker Scheme Operators is engaged in the supply of temporary labour into activities in the agricultural sector, they are required to hold a GLAA licence and comply with the licensing standards.During the application process for a GLAA licence, a check is made of other Government departments and the Police, and an inspection is carried out to check compliance with the licensing standards. Regarding monitoring, the GLAA is intelligence-led when determining which businesses to inspect.If the GLAA receives intelligence which indicates potential exploitation of workers, then this will be investigated. If non-compliance is found, then action will be taken and if the non-compliance is serious, their GLAA licence could be revoked. If there are indicators of forced labour, the GLAA will investigate using its powers under the Immigration Act 2016 and take appropriate action to bring criminal perpetrators to justice.

UK Visas and Immigration: Standards

Sara Britcliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the extent to which UK Visa and Immigration claims are processed to the same standard of service as they were before the covid-19 outbreak; and what steps she has taken to help ensure her Department reaches those standards.

Tom Pursglove: UKVI has faced extremely high pressures over the past two years. All visa routes have seen extremely high demand following the end of the pandemic and the easing of travel restrictions. The Home Office also prioritised capacity earlier this year to help people forced to flee their homes, as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, get to safety through our Ukraine visa schemes.UKVI has been working hard to reduce processing times and is now back within service standard across a number of our visa routes. We have updated our guidance on expected waiting times so that customers have a realistic indication of how long their applications will take to be processed. We encourage customers to continue to refer to these updates as our processing times change on a regular basis.

Members: Correspondence

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of September 26 to Question 51845, what methods her Department uses to assess levels of satisfaction.

Tom Pursglove: The MP Account Management Team (MPAM) meets weekly to discuss operational performance, including feedback from MPs, to ensure we are providing the best service possible. A formal MP satisfaction survey is being launched in January 2023.

Immigration Controls: Pakistan

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish the UK-Pakistan Readmissions Agreement signed with the Government of Pakistan on 17 August 2022.

Tom Pursglove: The Home Office does not routinely publish Memorandums of Understanding on returns. Publication of such agreements could prejudice relations between the United Kingdom and our international partners. On this occasion we will not be publishing the UK-Pakistan Readmissions Agreement.

Asylum: Temporary Accommodation

Stephen Farry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) children and (b) pregnant women asylum seekers have moved (i) into and (ii) out of contingency accommodation in the last 12 months.

Stephen Farry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to asylum seekers being moved from contingency accommodation to dispersal accommodation, whether her Department automatically prioritises (a) pregnant women and (b) other vulnerable groups.

Tom Pursglove: Home Office data relating to the supported asylum seeking population does not record the demographics of those moving into, or out of, contingency accommodation in a way which would provide the information requested.The Home Office has clear policy guidance on the allocation of asylum accommodation and consideration of healthcare and pregnancy needs when moving individuals on asylum support into dispersal accommodation. Our published policies on these matters can be found at: Allocation of accommodation policy (publishing.service.gov.uk) and Healthcare and pregnancy - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). The Home Office will consider those with healthcare needs, including mental health issues when dispersing. This may include a need to be accommodated in a particular location, or in a certain type of accommodation, or in some cases whether ongoing treatment for a medical condition might require that dispersal is deferred. For pregnancy, the whole of a woman’s pregnancy, labour and her postnatal period will be taken into account when considering accommodation moves.

Members: Correspondence

David Linden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she will respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Glasgow East, reference DL12037.

David Linden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she will respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Glasgow East, reference DL11740.

Tom Pursglove: I apologise for the delay. UK Visas and Immigration, MP Account Management team responded as detailed below:PQ 60004 – MPAM reference: MPAM/0418796/22 – The Home Office responded on 10 October 2022.PQ 60009 – MPAM reference: MPAM/0370568/22 – The Home Office responded on 8 September 2022.

Migrants: Children

Sir Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 11 October 2022 to Question 53260 on Migrants: Children, what safeguards her Department has identified that ensure British children of parents with no recourse to public funds receive support when (a) facing destitution and (b) other care needs.

Tom Pursglove: The Government is committed to protecting the vulnerable. Processes are in place to enable those with permission under the Family or Private Life routes, permission outside the rules on the basis of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, or the Hong Kong British National (Overseas) route, to apply for free to have the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) condition lifted by making a ‘change of conditions’ application. An individual can apply to have their NRPF condition lifted if they are destitute or at risk of imminent destitution, if there are reasons relating to the welfare of a relevant child, or where there are other exceptional financial circumstances.This includes parents of British children where those parents are subject to a NRPF condition.Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 imposes a general duty on local authorities to safeguard and promote the welfare of “children in need” in their area. Support provided to a child by local authorities under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 is not dependent on the immigration status of the child or their parent(s) and is therefore available to parents of British children where those parents are subject to an NRPF condition.

Afghanistan: Refugees

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the target time is to complete (a) security checks, (b) processing of documents requested by his Department and (c) a final decision on resettlement for people who have been contacted by his Department because they are eligible in principle under Pathway 3 of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme; whether any people contacted as eligible in principle have been notified of a final decision on whether they can resettle in the UK under that scheme; and what support the Government will provide to ensure safe passage to the UK for people allowed to settle in the UK under that scheme.

Tom Pursglove: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office consider whether individuals are eligible for Pathway 3 of the Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme. Once they have confirmed eligibility, the Home Office then considers suitability which includes security checks, the time for which varies on a case by case basis. As part of this, the Home Office will process the visa application, and once visas have been issued, arrangements will be made for travel to the UK.Securing safe and legal passage out of Afghanistan remains challenging. We do not comment on the details of specific routes for individuals who are eligible for resettlement.Those who submitted an expression of interest in Pathway 3 of the ACRS will be informed of the outcome by email from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, with advice on the next steps. No eligibility decisions have been issued to date.

Asylum: Applications

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answers of 22 August 2022 to Question 39956 and of 28 September 2022 to Question 51908 on Asylum: Applications, what the evidential basis is for her Departments policy on delivering efficiencies in the processing for asylum applications under the New Plan for Immigration in the absence of an estimate of these costs in each financial year.

Tom Pursglove: The UK has a proud history of providing protection to those who need it, in accordance with our international obligations under the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights. Our plans have three central objectives:To increase the fairness and efficacy of our system, so that we can better protect and support those in genuine need of asylum;To deter illegal entry into the UK, thereby breaking the business model of criminal trafficking networks and protecting the lives of those they endanger;To remove more easily from the UK those with no right to be here.

Ethnic Groups: Afghanistan

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the cross party report by parliamentarians from both Houses of Parliament into the plight of the Hazara people in Afghanistan; if she will make it her policy to provide a pathway and scheme for immediate and urgent resettlement for Hazara people fleeing (a) persecution and (b) sexual violence; and if she will make a statement.

Tom Pursglove: Through the Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), the UK will relocate up to 20,000 people at risk. It will prioritise those who have stood up for values such as democracy and women’s rights in Afghanistan, as well as vulnerable groups, including ethnic and religious minorities. The capacity of the UK to resettle people is not unlimited and difficult decisions have to be made on who will be prioritised for resettlement. Under Pathway Two of the ACRS, the Government is working closely with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to resettle vulnerable refugees who have fled Afghanistan. UNHCR will refer individuals in accordance with their standard resettlement categories and policies, based on an assessment of protection needs and vulnerabilities. We are pleased to have welcomed the first arrivals to the UK under ACRS Pathway 2, and we will continue to receive further UNHCR referrals.

Smuggling

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on 1 October 2022, how many full time equivalent Border Force personnel were deployed to dedicated teams responsible for preventing and detecting the illegal importation of (a) drugs, (b) excise goods (c) firearms, knives and other offensive weapons, and (d) items in violation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

Tom Pursglove: Border Force resource is deployed not just to carry out essential checks at the border, but also to detect harmful goods and safeguard vulnerable and exploited individuals. There is not a specific number of mandated checks for Border Force officers to conduct every day. Most checks will be conducted according to risk levels or intelligence. Border Force does not routinely publish the level of data relating to the number of customs interdictions undertaken by Government officials in the UK, and at specific geographic locations or ports. However, data, including information related to the seizure of prohibited and restricted goods, is published quarterly on the.gov.uk website. The latest release of information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/border-force-transparency-data-q2-2021.

Refugees: Afghanistan

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to ensure that Afghan refugees living in UK hotels following Operation Pitting are able to maintain their current employment when moving between hotels.

Tom Pursglove: There is a huge effort underway to support the families into permanent homes as soon as we can so they can settle and rebuild their lives. The length of time that a family will remain in bridging hotels is dependent on the availability of appropriate housing. We expect that whilst the hotel estate will reduce, there will be an ongoing need to provide temporary housing in hotels for a small number of families for several months.To deliver value for money to the taxpayer, officials are working at pace to consolidate the bridging estate, by maximising capacity in hotels with available rooms and return rooms that don’t match family requirements. Part of this work means families can sometimes be moved from a hotel scheduled for closure to another hotel within the bridging estate. In such instances we consider current employment and endeavour where possible to keep families in the same areas, or within commutable distance. Families are given appropriate notice of a move and are supported by their Hotel Liaison Officer and local authority throughout.

Immigration and Passports: Applications

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what targets her Department has in place for reducing the backlog of applications for (a) Leave and Indefinite Leave to Remain, (b) citizenship and (c) passports.

Tom Pursglove: (a) We have faced extremely high pressures in the past two 2 years in relation to visa application routes, including leave to remain and indefinite leave to remain. All routes have seen extremely high demand following the end of the pandemic and the easing of travel restrictions. We also prioritised capacity earlier this year to help people forced to flee their homes as a result of President Putin’s invasion of Ukraine get to safety. We have worked hard to reduce processing times and we are now back within service standard across a number of our routes, but we continue to further improve the speed of our decision making by rolling out better, more efficient technology, including digital interviewing and moving away from a paper based system and also recruiting more decision making staff.(b) Our website provides up-to-date information on our visa processing times across the routes we offer, and we encourage customers to continue to refer to these updates as our performance changes on a regular basis. At the same time, we continue to prioritise any urgent, compelling, or compassionate case. The most recent published data on citizenship applications (August 2022) shows that of those straightforward applications received, the percentage completed within the Service Standard of six months was 98.4%. The latest information on processing times can be found in the UK Visas and Immigration Transparency Data, available on Gov.uk.(c) Between January and August, 95.3% of standard UK applications were processed within the published guidance of ten weeks, and the volume of applications outside of this processing time continues to fall. Passport demand is highly seasonal. As is always the case in the autumn and winter, His Majesty’s Passport Office is working to reduce its overall work in progress ahead of demand increasing again from January.

Batteries: Fires

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many lithium-ion battery fire incidents were recorded in 2020.

Jeremy Quin: Data collected through the Fire and Rescue Service Incident Recording System (IRS) does not include data on whether fire incidents attended were caused by or involved lithium-ion batteries.The Home Office collects data on incidents attended by Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs), with this data including the cause of the fire and the source of ignition. This data is published in a variety of publications, available here: Fire statistics - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Batteries: Fires

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many lithium-ion battery fire incidents were recorded in 2018.

Jeremy Quin: Data collected through the Fire and Rescue Service Incident Recording System (IRS) does not include data on whether fire incidents attended were caused by or involved lithium-ion batteries.The Home Office collects data on incidents attended by Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs), with this data including the cause of the fire and the source of ignition. This data is published in a variety of publications, available here: Fire statistics - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Drugs: Crime

Simon Lightwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has to tackle offences related to drug dealing.

Jeremy Quin: The Government’s ten-year Drug Strategy, From Harm to Hope, sets out a whole system approach to reducing drug-related crime and it is through this strategy that we are mobilising a robust and innovative end-to-end plan which attacks every phase of the supply chain, undermining the business of drugs supply from source to street.This includes £300m of dedicated investment over three years to drive work on tackling drug supply, including £145m to bolster our successful County Lines Programme, which from the start of the Programme in 2019, up until April this year, has led to over 2,400 lines closed, over 8000 arrests, and more than 9,500 individuals engaged through safeguarding interventions.Police have also closed over 500 more lines so far since April 2022, bringing the total since 2019 to over 2,900. As part of this programme we are investing up to £5m over the next three years to provide specialist support to victims of county lines exploitation and their families.

Anti-social Behaviour

Simon Lightwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle anti-social behaviour.

Jeremy Quin: The Government is committed to tackling and preventing anti-social behaviour (ASB). We know the serious impact that persistent ASB can have on both individuals and the wider community.We provided the police, local authorities and other local agencies with a range of flexible tools and powers that they can use to respond quickly and effectively to ASB through the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.It is for local areas to decide how best to deploy these powers depending on the specific circumstances. They are best placed to understand what is driving the behaviour in question, the impact that it is having, and to determine the most appropriate response.

Police: West Yorkshire

Simon Lightwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many neighbourhood police officers there are in (a) Wakefield constituency and (b) West Yorkshire Police.

Jeremy Quin: The Home Office collects and publishes data annually on the number of full-time equivalent police officers by function in the ‘Police workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin, available here: Police workforce England and Wales statistics - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)These data are collected by Police Force Area only, and lower levels of geography, such as Parliamentary Constituencies or Metropolitan Boroughs are not collected.Data on the number of police officers by function in West Yorkshire Police, as at 31 March 22 are available in the Table F1 of the data tables that accompany the release here: Police workforce, England and Wales: 31 March 2022: data tablesSome forces are not able to make a clear distinction between certain function subgroups and therefore record the majority of, or all, employees under the wider function. This is particularly apparent for ‘Neighbourhood Policing’. It is therefore recommended to refer to the wider function of ‘Local Policing’.

Police: West Yorkshire

Simon Lightwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding her Department has provided (a) to West Yorkshire Police and (b) for policing in Wakefield constituency in the 2022-23 financial year.

Jeremy Quin: On 2 February 2022, the Government published a total police funding settlement of up to £16.9 billion in 2022/23, an increase of up to £1.1 billion when compared to 2021/22.West Yorkshire Police’s funding will be up to £541.9m in 2022/23, an increase of up to £31.1m compared to 2021/22. The Home Office does not allocate funding to individual constituencies. Decisions about the allocation of police resources locally, are a matter for Chief Constables and directly elected local policing bodies (including Police and Crime Commissioners, Mayors exercising with PCC functions and the London Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime).

London Policing College: China

Sir Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of the findings in the 2022 report, Dangerous Liaisons: UK partnerships with Chinese policing institutions linked to crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, published by Freedom from Torture, on the extent to which required processes for oversight of human rights risk were undertaken by four police forces and the Joint International Police Hub before engaging with London Policing College’s China policing projects.

Jeremy Quin: The London Policing College (LPC) is an independent organisation which includes retired officers from the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and is independent to the Home Office and UK Government. The Home Office has no formal relationship with the LPC.The Home Office International Police Assistance Service (IPAS) replaced the JIPH in January 2022 and continues to act as the central coordination point for overseas, non-operational policing deployments.IPAS do not hold information on the International Police Assistance Brief (IPAB) platform with regards to London Policing College’s China policing projects. IPAS advise that Overseas Security and Justice assistance (OSJA) assessments are carried out where appropriate.

Police: Complaints

Zarah Sultana: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress has been made in the Independent Office of Police Conduct investigation announced on 4 July 2022 into allegations of excessive use of force by Metropolitan Police Service officers at a protest over the arrest of a man by immigration officers in Peckham on 11 June 2022.

Jeremy Quin: The IOPC carries out its investigations independently of the Government. It provided a published update on the investigation relating to the Peckham protests on its website on 4th July 2022, when it also appealed for witnesses. I have notified the IOPC's Director General of this question so that he can respond directly or provide a further update.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Capital Investment: Wales

Rob Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on the introduction of the Investment Zone initiative in Wales.

Lee Rowley: The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Social Rented Housing

Mary Kelly Foy: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps the Government is taking to increase the supply of new social housing units.

Lee Rowley: The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Social Rented Housing: City of Durham

Mary Kelly Foy: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment the Government has made of the availability of social housing in the City of Durham constituency.

Lee Rowley: The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Leasehold: Service Charges

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of leasehold regulation relating to service charges.

Lee Rowley: The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Homes for Ukraine Scheme

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether new hosts who offer as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme to accommodate Ukrainians who have previously stayed with another host as part of that scheme will be entitled to receive the full 12 months of thank you payments; and whether there are deductions on the amount of those payments new hosts are eligible for arising from payments made to the previous host.

Andrew Stephenson: Thank you payments to hosts are available for the first 12 months of a guest's time in the UK. If you continue to host beyond 6 months or enter into a rematch arrangement, you are eligible to receive thank you payments, for the remaining months up to the 12-month mark. We will continue to closely monitor and review the support offered to both hosts and guests under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.

Homes for Ukraine Scheme

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has had recent discussions with local authorities on the closure of the Homes for Ukraine Scheme; and whether he will take steps to publish new proposals for housing refugees from Ukraine.

Andrew Stephenson: We are working closely with local councils to understand where pressures may be and are actively exploring options to find suitable long-term accommodation for the Ukrainians who are likely to stay in this country beyond their initial sponsorship period.The updated guidance for the Homes for Ukraine guests, hosts and councils setting out all the support options available to them can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-guidance-for-councils#four-to-6-months-after-guests-have-moved-to-your-area.

Regional Planning and Development: Advertising

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has notified other Government departments of the Advertising Standards Authority’s (ASA) ruling on his Department's breach of ASA rules related to paid-for newspaper articles on the Government's Levelling Up programme.

Dehenna Davison: We will be sharing the ASA recommendations with the Government Communications Service.

Regional Planning and Development: Advertising

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department has taken to ensure all articles about Levelling Up found in breach of Advertising Standards Authority rules have been removed from relevant websites.

Dehenna Davison: The ads in question have since been removed from the relevant websites.

Multiple Occupation: Standards

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will amend the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation Regulations 2006 to require the landlord to ensure the cleanliness of communal areas.

Andrew Stephenson: We have no plans to make any changes to the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006 as it is not the job of the state to dictate to individual tenants how they clean their homes.Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation 2006 Regulations already requires that communal areas are in good and clean decorative repair, and maintained in a safe and working condition.

Access to Elected Office for Disabled People Fund and EnAble Fund for Elected Office

Helen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when the Government plans to provide further information about the operation of the Access to Elected Office and EnAble funds schemes.

Andrew Stephenson: It is the Government’s ambition to see more disabled people in public office and is taking positive action to promote disabled people’s participation in public life, including working directly with parties and protecting disabled people through the Equality Act 2010.Building on the experience of the Access to Elected Office fund and the EnAble fund, DLUHC with the LGA launched a new scheme in April 2022, to support those seeking to become candidates in local elections.We have been clear that the responsibility for supporting disabled candidates sits with political parties and that the EnAble Fund was an interim measure to give parties time to put their own support in place.

Buildings: Repairs and Maintenance

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an estimate of the average length of time that the First-tier tribunal will take to process an application for (a) a remediation order and (b) a remediation contribution order under the Building Safety Act 2022.

Paul Scully: Remediation orders and remediation contribution orders are measures introduced in the Building Safety Act 2022 to ensure that action can be taken against building owners and landlords who are not meeting their responsibilities for remediating historical safety defects in building above 11 metres or five storeys.As well as those with an interest in the particular building, such as individual or groups of leaseholders, enforcement agencies may apply to the First-tier Tribunal for a remediation order to require a relevant landlord to remedy the relevant defect through a remediation order. They can also apply for a remediation contribution order to require the landlord, developer or associate to make payments to a specified person for the purpose of meeting costs which have been incurred or to be incurred in remedying relevant defects.We are working closely with the Tribunal to understand how they are dealing with these orders. As only a small number of applications have been made, it is unclear how representative those applications are of the likely caseload as a whole. We are therefore unable to provide an estimate of the time required to process an application.

Buildings: Repairs and Maintenance

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) remediation orders (b) remediation contribution orders applications have been (i) made, and (ii) approved since the scheme opened in July.

Paul Scully: HMCTS has confirmed that, to date, they have received 2 applications for remediation orders and 2 applications for remediation contribution orders. None have yet reached decision.

Buildings: Insulation

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to Answer of 20 July 2022 to Question 34871, when the cladding remediation fund for buildings between 11 and 18 metres will be launched; when the fund will open for applications; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Scully: The Government is launching a new 11-18m cladding remediation scheme to fund work on buildings where a responsible developer cannot be identified.  We are planning to open the scheme on an interim basis, initially targeting a small number of high-risk buildings in interim measures.  Further details on eligibility and the application process of the 11–18m Remediation Fund will be announced as soon as they are ready. We will make a statement in due course.

Removal Services and Storage: Departmental Responsibilities

Owen Thompson: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, which Department is responsible for the removal and storage sector.

Paul Scully: I refer the Hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 59904 on the 17 October 2022.

Housing: Fire Prevention

Helen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when he plans to appoint a Minister for Building Safety and Fire.

Paul Scully: As with all departmental business, the Secretary of State maintains overall responsibility for the work of the department, and I support the Secretary of State on building safety policy. Fire safety policy is a matter for the Home Office and responsibility for this rests with Jeremy Quin, the Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire.

Housing: Safety

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent discussions has he had with eligible developers who have not signed the building safety repairs pledge.

Paul Scully: The Government expects all developers to do the right thing, irrespective of whether they have signed the building safety repairs pledge. We are in ongoing discussions with several developers who have not signed the pledge and will invite them to sign the finalised self-remediation contract. We have made clear that developers who fail to do the right thing face significant commercial consequences.

Buildings: Safety

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to protect customers of construction companies who do not meet their safety obligations.

Paul Scully: Under the Building Safety Act 2022, those responsible for creating historical safety defects will bear the burden of costs for remediation and will be held accountable. Before attempting to pass on costs for historical safety remediation to leaseholders, landlords should consider whether any monies can be obtained from third parties in connection with the undertaking of the remediation work and, if so, to pursue this.To enable them to pursue those responsible for defective work, we have brought forward an ambitious toolkit of measures through the Act. Civil claims can be brought against manufacturers of, or those who have supplied, defective or mis-sold construction products, or those supplied or marketed in breach of regulations, where these products have been incorporated in a dwelling and that has caused or contributed to a dwelling being unfit for habitation. This provision, which applies to all dwellings, has retrospective effect for cladding products with a limitation period of 30 years and prospective effect for all construction products with a limitation period of 15 years.The Act also retrospectively extend the limitation period under section 1 of the Defective Premises Act 1972 from 6 to 30 years and our extension of the reach of civil liability to associated companies of developers, including trusts, to ensure that some of the largest businesses in the sector who have used shell companies and other complex corporate structures can be pursued for contributions towards the remediation of historical safety defects. These provisions will help to ensure that all parties that play a part in creating building safety defects are in line for costs to rectify them.Where it is not possible to identify those directly responsible for historical safety defects, the leaseholder protections spread the costs of decades of malpractice equitably across the system. The leaseholder protections in the Act mean that building owners and landlords must fix historical safety defects in their buildings above 11m or 5 storeys where they are, or are connected to, the developer. Qualifying leaseholders are protected from all cladding remediation costs, and those whose landlord group has a net worth of more than £2 million per relevant building or whose property is valued at below £325,000 in Greater London, or £175,000 elsewhere in England, are also protected from non-cladding and interim measure costs (including waking watch). Any contribution that is required from qualifying leaseholders for non-cladding remediation and interim measures is firmly capped and spread over 10 years, with costs already paid since 28 June 2017 counting towards the cap.

Local Government Finance

Helen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made on the impact of rising levels of (a) energy costs and (b) inflation on the budgets of local authorities for this and subsequent financial years.

Helen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department has taken to assist local government with rising costs for this and subsequent financial years.

Paul Scully: The Spending Review settlement took into account a wide range of cost pressures. We are providing around £1.6 billion of additional grant for local government in 2022/23.Inflation forecasts are higher than they were at the Spending Review. How that interacts with the finances of local government is, however, not straightforward.   While councils are responsible for their own financial management, and are required to set a balanced budget, we are working closely with the sector to understand what the impact of cost and pressures will be on service delivery and budgets.Through the new Energy Bill Relief Scheme, the Government will provide a discount on energy prices for local authorities whose bills have been significantly inflated by the global energy crisis.

Religious Hatred: Hinduism

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to tackle Hinduphobia.

Paul Scully: We are committed to protecting the right of individuals to freely practise their religion and we will not tolerate anti-Hindu hatred in any form. The Government's Places of Worship Protective Security Funding Scheme has provided physical security protection measures to places of worship across England and Wales that are particularly vulnerable to religiously motivated hate crime, including 26 Hindu temples.

Leasehold: Ground Rent

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the provisions of the Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022 which prevent landlords charging ground rents for new, qualifying long residential leasehold properties in England and Wales in order to prevent landlords from requiring existing leaseholders to pay ground rent.

Lee Rowley: The Government has already legislated via the Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022 to protect future leaseholders and we are due to bring forward further leasehold reforms later in this Parliament.We understand the difficulties some existing leaseholders face with high and escalating ground rents. This is why we asked the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to investigate potential mis-selling of homes and unfair terms in the leasehold sector, which has resulted in commitments benefitting over 20,000 leaseholders.The CMA continue to engage with a number of firms and we urge other developers to follow suit.

Elections: Proof of Identity

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an estimate of the number of people in (a) Plymouth, (b) the South West of England and (c) England who may not have a valid photo ID suitable to enable them to vote in the May 2023 elections as of October 2022.

Andrew Stephenson: The Cabinet Office published a report on the levels of photographic identification ownership in Great Britain in May 2021.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/voter-identification-photographic-id-ownership-in-great-britain.A list of identification which will be accepted in polling stations can be found in the government's voter identification policy statement: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/voter-identification-at-polling-stations-and-the-new-voter-card.Any eligible voter who does not have one of the wide range of acceptable forms of photographic identification, will be able to apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate from their local authority.

Evictions

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether it remains the Government's policy to abolish section 21 no-fault evictions.

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if it remains the Government's policy to abolish no-fault section 21 evictions.

Andrew Stephenson: Everyone deserves to live in a safe and secure home. The Prime Minister has committed to the ban on Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions to protect tenants. Ensuring a fair deal for renters remains a priority for the government and we are carefully considering next steps to support the rental market.

Social Rented Housing

Matt Western: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent estimate his Department has made of the average demand for additional social rent homes per year; and what steps his Department is taking to support councils and housing associations meet that demand.

Andrew Stephenson: It is for local authorities to identify the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community, including those who require affordable housing, and reflect this in planning and other policies.Building more social and affordable homes is a priority for this Government, and we want to see local authorities playing a key role in the delivery of new housing. Our £11.5 billion Affordable Homes Programme, which councils can bid for, will deliver up to 180,000 affordable homes should economic conditions allow. This is on top of our £9 billion Shared Ownership and Affordable Homes Programme, running to 2023, which will deliver approximately 250,000 new affordable homes.The Government wants to see local authorities delivering the next generation of council housing and we have given them a comprehensive range of tools to do so. In March 2021, we announced a package of reforms to give councils more freedom in how they can spend the money they receive from Right to Buy sales on replacement homes. In addition to this, the Government abolished the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) borrowing cap in 2018, allowing councils to borrow to build more council homes.

Social Rented Housing: Rents

Matt Western: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of capping increases to social housing rents at 5 percent in the 2023-24 financial year on poverty rates among occupants of social housing.

Andrew Stephenson: On 31 August, the Government launched a consultation on whether to implement a lower ceiling cap on social housing rent increases. Alongside that, the Government published an impact assessment. The consultation closed on 12 October. The Government is carefully considering the responses and will publish a response later this year.

Homelessness: Havering

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will take additional steps to support councils with funding for homelessness in Havering.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to reduce homelessness in Romford constituency.

Andrew Stephenson: The Government is committed to tackling homelessness and fully enforcing the Homelessness Reduction Act, which is why we are investing £2 billion over the next three years into homelessness and rough sleeping. In September 2022, we also published our bold, new cross-government strategy which set out our plans to end rough sleeping for good.In April 2022, local authorities were allocated £316 million Homelessness Prevention Grant funding to support households in England who are homeless or at risk of losing their home. Local authorities can use the funding flexibly to meet their homelessness and rough sleeping strategies. The London Borough of Havering received £2,373,119 Homelessness Prevention Grant funding for the year 2022/23.We are extending our flagship Rough Sleeping Initiative to 2025, with up to £500 million funding of which London Borough of Havering was allocated £812,925. This funding allows local areas to provide the tailored support needed to end rough sleeping over the next three years.

Refugees: Ukraine

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, (a) what recent steps his Department has taken to support Ukrainian refugees seeking new accommodation in the UK, (b) what recent estimate he has made of the number of Ukrainian refugees living in the UK and (c) whether his Department has taken steps to gather feedback about the standard of living for Ukrainian refugees living in the UK.

Andrew Stephenson: As of 4 October 2022, data comprised of Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme and Ukraine Family Scheme:   Total Ukraine Scheme visa applications received: 221,900   Total Ukraine Scheme visas issued to people: 189,900   Total arrivals of Ukraine Scheme visa-holders in the UK: 134,200 (as of 3 October 2022) .We are working closely with local councils to understand where pressures may be and are actively exploring options to find suitable long-term accommodation for the Ukrainians who are likely to stay in this country beyond the households staying in the country beyond their initial sponsorship period.We will continue to review and develop plans to support guests to improve their living standards and access economic opportunities, informed by engagement with other government departments, local councils, VCS organisations, sponsors, and guests.

Domestic Abuse: Victim Support Schemes

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many (a) in house local authority and (b) independent domestic abuse services that have received funding under Part 4 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 broken down by local authority.

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will list the recipients in each local authority of funding under Part 4 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 including how much each recipient was awarded.

Andrew Stephenson: We do not hold information on the breakdown of funding between services in each local authority. Under Part 4 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 each local authority is required to commission the right support in safe accommodation to meet local needs in line with their local strategy, working with their domestic abuse local partnership board.So far, local authorities are in receipt of two years of new burdens funding for the delivery of their duties - £125 million in both 2021/22 and 2022/23. This has enabled local authorities to plan for and commission support services to meet the needs of victims.  Funding allocation for both 2021/22 and 2022/23 can be found in the following links below:2021/22- https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/funding-allocation-methods-new-domestic-abuse-duty2022/23- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-authority-domestic-abuse-duty-2022-to-2023-funding-allocations

Homes for Ukraine Scheme

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the funding of £10,500 per person which the Government provides to councils for Homes for Ukraine, what recent assessment her Department has made of the way in which council are spending that funding, and what conditions are placed on that funding.

Andrew Stephenson: The £10,500 tariff funding per guest is paid for the first year of a guest's time in the UK This payment is expected to cover key local council services in support of the scheme, including: - Initial reception - Safeguarding check - Interim £200 payment per guest  - Service referrals - Homelessness assistance - Community Integration - Administering payments to sponsors  The £200 subsistence payment is provided by councils to each Ukraine guest on arrival which does not need to be repaid.

Homes for Ukraine Scheme

Dame Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, in the context of the increasing cost of living, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing support payments to sponsors of Ukrainian refugees on a per person, rather than a per household basis.

Andrew Stephenson: We recognise the growing pressure on family finances, and the challenges that households are facing with the rising costs of living. We are working with local councils and sponsors to support them to continue hosting.

Park Homes: Fees And Charges

Steve Brine: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when the Government plans to bring forward legislative proposals on changing the inflationary index calculation for the pitch fees of park homes from the Retail Price Index to the Consumer Prices Index.

Andrew Stephenson: We are actively considering options for legislating to change the inflationary index to the Consumer Price Index, including through supporting a Private Member's Bill in this Session.

Leasehold

Mary Kelly Foy: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when the Government will present the second stage of its proposed leasehold reforms.

Lee Rowley: We are due to bring forward further leasehold reforms later in this parliament.

Capital Investment: Ashfield

Lee Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether Ashfield and Eastwood constituency will be one of the 38 investment zones announced in the Growth Plan 2022.

Lee Rowley: DLUHC has launched a formal Expression of Interest process that is open to all Mayoral Combined Authorities, or Upper Tier Local Authorities where they do not exist, and Freeports, in England. Every area is welcome to apply, and we have been discussing potential zones with many areas across England.Discussions are not confirmation that any particular place would be designated as an Investment Zone. The EOI closed on 14 October 2022 and we will make an announcement in due course once we have received and assessed all bids.

Mortgages

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment the Government has made of the potential effect of rising mortgage rates on trends in the level of home ownership in the next 3 years.

Lee Rowley: The Department is monitoring closely the impact of rising interest rates on mortgages on levels of home ownership, addressing both current owners and prospective first-time buyers.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: Disclosure of Information

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many subject access requests his Department has (a) received and (b) responded to within the statutory limit in the last five years.

Lee Rowley: The Department has received 45 Subject Access requests and responded to 100% within the statutory limit in the last 5 calendar years.

Capital Investment: Local Government Finance

Helen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an assessment of the potential effect on local government finance of his Department's proposals on investment zones.

Lee Rowley: This Government is committed to delivering growth across the country and sees the delivery of Investment Zones as important to achieving this to date.All eligible local authorities have been invited to express their interest in having an investment zone as part of a process which concluded on 14 October 2022. More details on the scheme were made public as part of this process.The choice to both apply for, and then become a location for, an investment zone is entirely that of the local authority. We look forward to working with successful local authorities in the months ahead.

Mortgages

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of trends in the levels of mortgage rates on average rental prices.

Lee Rowley: The department continues to monitor market research into the likely impact of interest rates on buy-to-let landlords and private rent levels.

Cabinet Office

Integrated Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy Review

Chris Evans: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department plans to publish supplementary documents alongside the update to the Integrated Review.

Chris Evans: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to progress the updating of the Integrated Review; how long the update will take; and if he will take steps to ensure that there will be a formal industry engagement process.

Chris Philp: The Prime Minister has committed to producing a ‘refresh’ of the 2021 Integrated Review by the end of the year to ensure that the UK’s security, defence, development and foreign policy architecture is keeping pace with the evolving international environment.The ‘refresh’ has two core aims:to review changes in the strategic context since publication of the IR; andto adjust the UK’s overarching approach and its priorities for action to 2025, including in line with the new Prime Minister’s specific priorities.The ‘refresh’ will supplement and extend the IR rather than replacing it. As such, it supports the ongoing process of strategy development and delivery within government, and is an example of adaptive strategy in practice.The Government will engage with Parliament, the Devolved Administrations, external experts, industry and wider stakeholders with an interest in our nation’s security and prosperity. This includes our allies and partners, building on our ongoing dialogue.Although there are currently no plans for other documents to be published alongside the ‘refresh’, more detail will be published in due course on how the Government will pursue the strategic priorities set out in the IR.

Government Departments: Communication

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans he has to ensure all Government communication is in an accessible format.

Chris Philp: We are committed to ensuring that government communications are available and accessible across multiple channels and in a number of alternative formats in order to meet a range of needs. The Government’s most crucial content is available in alternative accessibility formats including Easy Read, large text formats, videos with British Sign Language interpretation and audio. Speeches from the Prime Minister are also made available in transcript form on GOV.UK, aligning with accessibility standards.Following Royal Assent of the British Sign Language (BSL) Act (2022) and the legal recognition of British Sign Language as a language of England, Wales and Scotland, the Government Communication Service will promote and facilitate the use of British Sign Language in communications with the public, where appropriate. We are currently developing our plans to do this and will be reporting on our progress via the Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Chief Scientific Advisers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what (a) skills and (b) experience the Government has identified as a priority for the role of Government Chief Scientific Adviser.

Chris Philp: A competition to recruit a new Government Chief Scientific Adviser (GCSA) is currently underway. A breadth of skills and experience are essential for the role; not only should the postholder possess a first-class reputation in the scientific field, they should also have excellent policy and analytical skills at the strategic level, and the ability to assimilate, evaluate and interpret scientific findings. In addition, they will need to command the confidence and respect of ministers, senior officials and their peers in the scientific community. They will also need to be an excellent communicator who is able to communicate with a broad range of audiences.

Natural Gas: Shortages

Florence Eshalomi: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department plans to publish guidance to other Government departments on managing potential gas shortages during winter.

Chris Philp: The UK has a secure and diverse energy system. The Government is confident in its plans to protect households and businesses this winter in light of Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine. However as a responsible Government, it is right that we plan for all scenarios, however unlikely. That is why the Cabinet Office, working closely with the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, is engaging with colleagues across government and industry on how departments should prepare for the upcoming winter, as is customary every year.

Infected Blood Inquiry

Florence Eshalomi: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the interim report by Sir Brian Langstaff, Chair of the Infected Blood Inquiry, published on 29 July 2022, how many and what proportion of the people (a) infected and (b) otherwise affected by contaminated blood have received interim compensation payments as of 13 October 2022.

Florence Eshalomi: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the letter from the Paymaster General to Sir Brian Langstaff of 16 August 2022, what recent progress he has made on providing interim payments to (a) people who were infected and (b) bereaved partners who are registered on infected blood support schemes as of 13 October 2022.

Chris Philp: On 16 August 2022, the former Minister for the Cabinet Office, Michael Ellis, wrote to Sir Brian Langstaff, Chair of the Infected Blood Inquiry confirming that the Government has accepted his recommendation in full and that we will be making an interim payment of £100,000, by the end of October, to all infected beneficiaries and bereaved partners registered with the four national infected blood support schemes.Officials are continuing to work hard to meet this commitment.

Mark Fullbrook

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the salary agreed with the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff Mark Fullbrook following his recent direct employment by the Government on a Special Adviser contract is within the current recommended Cabinet Office pay bands for UK Government Special Advisors.

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, (a) what fee was originally agreed with Fullbrook Strategies for the secondment of the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff Mark Fullbrook and (b) whether this amount was greater than the equivalent highest recommended Cabinet Office pay band for UK Government Special Advisors.

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the original agreement between Fullbrook Strategies and the Government for the secondment of the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff Mark Fullbrook included provision for a severance payment in the event of redundancy.

Chris Philp: Mr Fullbrook is not employed by the Government under a secondment agreement, therefore I can confirm that no such agreement exists.Mr Fullbrook is employed directly by the Government under the Model Contract for Special Advisers, which sets out the terms of employment for special advisers, including provision for severance payments. Together with the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers and the Civil Service Code, this constitutes a special adviser’s contract of employment with the Crown.As required by legislation, Special Adviser costs and salaries are routinely published on GOV.UK by the Cabinet Office. The next annual publication is due in 2023.All special adviser salaries are set within the pay ranges specified in this report.

Sexual Offences: Surveys

Emma Hardy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the paper by Jessica Taylor and Jaimi Shrive entitled I thought it was just a part of life: Understanding the scale of violence, published in April 2021, if her Department will make an assessment of (a) the potential impact of the wording of questions on (i) rape and (ii) sexual assault on the answers given to the annual Crime Survey for England and Wales and (b) the potential merits of using descriptive language without terminology in that survey.

Chris Philp: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.A response to the Hon. Member's Parliamentary Question of 10th October is attached. UKSA Response to PQ60015 (pdf, 120.5KB)

Honours

Florence Eshalomi: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government is taking to publish the resignation Honours List of the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip.

Chris Philp: It is a long-standing convention that outgoing Prime Ministers can draw up a ‘Dissolution’ or ‘Resignation’ List. This has been the case under past governments from across the political spectrum. Any announcement in relation to recommendations from the Rt Hon Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip would be made in the usual way.

Nuclear Weapons

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to update advice to local authorities on nuclear attack preparedness.

Chris Philp: Nuclear rhetoric from Russia is unhelpful. It is designed to deter and distract from what Russia is doing in Ukraine. Russia should seek to reduce tensions and the risk of miscalculation, not increase them. We strongly urge Russia to tone down its rhetoric regarding nuclear weapons.The Government has no plans to reissue the 'Preparing for Emergencies’ booklet, the advice within still remains extant. However, please be assured that we are regularly reviewing the risks facing the United Kingdom and keeping the advice provided to the public under constant review.

Official Residences

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which government ministers currently use for residential purposes the properties at (a) 1 Carlton Gardens, (b) the three flats in Admiralty House, (c) the Dorneywood estate and (d) the Chevening estate.

Chris Philp: Official residences are assigned to ministers at the discretion of the Prime Minister, either on the grounds of security or to allow them to better perform their official duties. Further details will be set out in due course.

National Security Council: Foreign Policy and Security Council

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he had with the Secretary of State for Defence on the future of the National Security Council before it was disbanded and replaced by the Foreign Policy and Security Council.

Chris Philp: I can confirm that neither I, nor my immediate predecessors (including Edward Argar and Michael Ellis) have had any conversations regarding the future of the National Security Council with the Secretary of State for Defence.

Urban Areas: British Overseas Territories

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department will be taking steps to celebrate the appearance of Gibraltar, Hamilton, Jamestown and Stanley on the list of cities in the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories published on 29 August 2022.

Brendan Clarke-Smith: The creation of new cities, and the publication of the updated list of cities on 29 August, celebrates the rich and diverse communities which make up not only the United Kingdom, but also the Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories.Local communities have often taken the initiative to celebrate their city status, and periodically Ministers and Members of the Royal Family have also visited.

National Science and Technology Council

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason a new National Science and Technology Council has been established to replace its predecessor.

Chris Philp: A new National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) has been established with responsibility for delivering an ambitious UK science and technology strategy. The committee will allow Ministers to coordinate efforts across government to create the very best conditions for science and technology in the UK as a crucial driver of economic growth, prosperity and security.

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) adequacy of resourcing and (b) effectiveness of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman in handling complaints against the NHS.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of expediency of the PHSO in resolving NHS complaints; and what date she collects on the average length of time it is taking to conclude a case at the PHSO.

Chris Philp: The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman is an office holder, established to provide an independent complaint handling service for complaints that have not been resolved by the NHS and UK Government departments.The Ombudsman is accountable to Parliament through the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, who hold an annual scrutiny session to evaluate his performance.

Government Departments: Advertising

Damian Green: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Government spent on advertising in each of the last five years; and what proportion of that spending was on (a) TV, (b) radio, (c) out of home, (d) national newsbrands, (e) local/regional newsbrands, (f) online display, (g) search, (h) direct mail, (i) magazine brands and (j) cinema advertising over the same time period.

Chris Philp: Government communication spend, including on our national and international campaigns, is published on a rolling monthly basis on gov.uk as part of routine transparency arrangements. A bespoke strategy is implemented for each campaign, therefore data on how much we spend on each channel is not split out from wider communications spend.

Treasury

Energy: Investment

David Warburton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps his Department is taking to encourage investment in the UK’s energy sector.

Felicity Buchan: The Government is committed to encouraging investment in the UK energy sector. Investment has been incentivised through a range of levers: o The CfD scheme has been hugely successful in driving the deployment of renewable energy while rapidly reducing costs. Allocation round 4 of the CfD, which opened in December 2021, was the biggest ever and will deliver a record capacity of almost 11GW of clean energy. This is enough to power around 12 million British homes with clean, affordable, homegrown energy, helping to reduce our exposure to volatile global prices.o The new 80% investment allowance in Energy Profits Levy will mean businesses will overall get a 91p tax saving for every £1 they invest – this will encourage the oil and gas sector to reinvest their profits to support the economy, jobs, and the UK’s energy security.o The £120m Future Nuclear Enabling Fund will support the development of a nuclear project pipeline as the UK strives to meet net zero by 2050. As well as fiscal measures, the Government is committed to making the UK energy sector attractive to investors by reducing unnecessary burdens and speeding up the delivery of much-needed infrastructure. The Growth Plan sets out sector specific changes such as: o Prioritising the delivery of National Policy Statements for energy, water resources and national networks, and of a cross-government action plan for reform of the Nationally Significant Infrastructure planning system.o Bringing onshore wind planning policy in line with other infrastructure to allow it to be deployed more easily in England. These changes are a vital means of driving the UK’s economic growth, increasing long-term energy security, and delivering Net Zero.

Treasury: Females

Ruth Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of staff employed by his Department are women.

Felicity Buchan: The Treasury is committed to building a Department that reflects those it serves, drawing on diversity of background and expertise, to enable it to offer the best possible advice to ministers, strengthening policymaking. As at 31 March 2021, 48.7% of Core Treasury staff were female. Further information on the diversity of Treasury staff can be found on page 44 of Treasury’s Annual Review and Accounts, which can be accessed at ES983664_CCS001_CCS0620768248-001_COVER_1-1.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Treasury: Meetings

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what meetings he had on (a) 20, (b) 21 and (c) 22 September 2022.

Felicity Buchan: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

Treasury: Ethnic Groups

Ruth Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of people in his Department are from Black and ethnic minority backgrounds.

Felicity Buchan: The Treasury is committed to building a Department that reflects those it serves, drawing on diversity of background and expertise, to enable it to offer the best possible advice to ministers, strengthen policymaking. As at 31 March 2021, 19.4% of Core Treasury staff were from ethnic minorities. Further information on the diversity of Treasury staff can be found on page 44 of Treasury’s Annual Review and Accounts, which can be accessed at ES983664_CCS001_CCS0620768248-001_COVER_1-1.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Treasury: Public Consultation

Angela Rayner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) consultations and (b) calls for evidence issued by his Department are closed but have not been responded to as of 12 July 2022.

Felicity Buchan: All Government consultations and calls for evidence are published on gov.uk, which also provides an update on whether Government has responded to these.As of 12 July 2022, we have identified 15 calls for evidence or consultations which are closed, but which HM Treasury has not yet responded to.

Energy: Price Caps

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department will take to fund the proposed energy price freeze in the event that economic growth does not reach expected levels.

Felicity Buchan: As stated in response to a similar previous question, the Energy Price Guarantee will be funded by the government to support households and businesses with the cost-of-living challenge in the short term. To address the longer-term problem of rising energy costs, the government will be making significant interventions in the energy market over the coming months. The government is committed to fiscal discipline and the Chancellor will set out the government’s Medium-Term Fiscal Plan on the 31st of October 2022. This will be delivered alongside an economic and fiscal forecast by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility, which will take account of the policies in the Medium-Term Fiscal Plan.

Surcharges: Disasters

Layla Moran: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has had recent discussions with the International Monetary Fund on the potential impact of surcharges on (a) Pakistan and (b) other countries that have experienced climate disasters.

Andrew Griffith: The Government expresses deep concern and condolences for the severe humanitarian and economic impact of flooding in Pakistan. The UK recently announced an uplift in Pakistan flood relief funding, taking the total amount pledged to £16.5m. In addition, at COP26, the UK announced more than £55m of support to help Pakistan tackle climate change. The IMF considers surcharges to be an important part of its risk management framework, strengthening the Fund’s balance sheet and reinforcing its ability to provide financial support to vulnerable countries, including Pakistan and other countries experiencing balance of payments vulnerabilities stemming from climate disasters.

NHS: Workplace Pensions

John McNally: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of creating a tax unregistered pensions scheme for senior NHS officials to help support the retention of NHS consultants who would otherwise retire early to avoid high tax costs.

Andrew Griffith: Pensions tax relief is one of the most expensive reliefs in the personal tax system. In 2020/21 Income Tax and employer National Insurance Contributions relief cost £67.3 billion. The annual allowance helps to ensure that the highest earning pension savers do not receive a disproportionate benefit. 99 per cent of pension savers make annual contributions below £40,000, the level of standard annual allowance which has applied from 2014/15. An unregistered scheme for the NHS would not benefit the vast majority of NHS staff, as members would receive no tax relief on their contributions. The Government is committed to ensuring that hard-working NHS staff do not find themselves reducing their work commitments due to the interaction between their pay, their pension, and the relevant tax regime.  On 22 September, the Government announced it will change elements of the NHS Pension Scheme to help retain doctors, nurses and other senior NHS staff, to increase capacity. These changes include:Changing pension rules regarding inflationEncouraging NHS Trusts to explore local solutions for senior clinicians affected by pension tax charges, such as pension recyclingImplementing permanent retirement flexibilities and extending existing temporary measures to allow our most experienced staff to return to service or stay in service longer.

Freezing of Assets: Libya

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the value of Libyan-owned assets frozen in the UK in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Griffith: Since its establishment in 2016, HM Treasury’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) has undertaken an annual frozen asset review, requiring all persons or institutions that hold or control frozen assets in the UK to report to OFSI, from which the following figures are taken. The figures are each an approximate total value of frozen Libyan assets in the UK: September 2017 £12.061 billionSeptember 2018 £11.222 billionSeptember 2019 £11.809 billionSeptember 2020 £11.528 billion The figures for the 2021 Frozen Asset Review are still being finalised and will be published in OFSI’s Annual Review later this year. The value of frozen funds in the UK can fluctuate for numerous reasons. These include changes to sanctions designations, changes in share or market values, or certain financial activity being licensed.

Bank Services: Interest Rates

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that financial institutions providing savings accounts to consumers reflect changes in the Bank of England's base rate of inflation in their financial products.

Andrew Griffith: The pricing of financial products, including interest rates offered on savings accounts, is a commercial decision for firms and the Government does not seek to intervene in such decisions. The independent Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of England makes monetary policy decisions independently of the Government. Therefore, the Government does not comment on the conduct or effectiveness of monetary policy. The MPC sets the base rate of interest, which is known as the Bank Rate. This is the rate of interest the Bank of England will pay on reserves held with them by commercial banks. MPC decisions over the Bank Rate guide commercial banks’ decisions over retail interest rates, i.e. interest rates they charge on loans and pay on deposits. However, savings providers also make commercial judgements that influence the degree of pass‐through from changes in the Bank Rate into retail interest rates, with conditions in financial markets and in the banking sector also influencing interest rates paid on deposits or charged for lending.

Stocks and Shares: Taxation

Sarah Olney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an estimate of the taxation revenue that would have been generated by introducing a one per cent. tax on stock buybacks in the last financial year.

Andrew Griffith: No such estimate has been made and to provide such an estimate would incur the disproportionate cost threshold.

Pension Funds: Exchange Rates

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of a depreciating level of currency on pension funds.

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has assessed the potential impact of a depreciating currency on pension funds.

Andrew Griffith: Financial market movements are determined by a wide range of domestic and international factors. It is not appropriate for the government to comment on specific currency market movements or the impact on different sectors of the economy.We continue to work closely with the Bank of England, Financial Conduct Authority, Debt Management Office and others to monitor markets.

Exchange Rates: Dollar

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to tackle changes in the value of Pound Sterling against the United States Dollar; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Griffith: The UK does not have an exchange rate target and the Government does not have a desired level for sterling – the price is determined by the market. The UK's macroeconomic framework is based on an inflation target, and it is for the independent Monetary Policy Committee to set monetary policy to meet this target. We continue to work closely with the Bank of England, Financial Conduct Authority, Debt Management Office and others to monitor markets.

Financial Services: Environment Protection

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he will publish proposals to replace the EU Green Taxonomy Framework.

Andrew Griffith: The UK Green Taxonomy Consultation is under review and the Government will be setting out next steps in due course.

Mortgages: Interest Rates

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reintroducing mortgage interest relief at source.

Richard Fuller: There are a wide range of factors to take into consideration when introducing a relief. Landlords are already able to claim tax relief on finance costs for their rental property. For unincorporated landlords, this can be claimed at the basic rate of Income Tax. While the Government has no current plans to reintroduce Mortgage Relief at Source, as with all aspects of the tax system, the Government keeps tax reliefs under review and any decisions on future changes will be taken by the Chancellor in the context of the wider public finances.

Taxis: VAT

Julian Knight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact that a new VAT charge on taxis and PHVs would have on consumers during the cost of living crisis.

Richard Fuller: The Government currently has no plans to introduce a new VAT charge on taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs).However, the Government is closely monitoring ongoing deliberations by UK courts that may inform the VAT treatment of taxis and PHVs.

Social Security Benefits: Children

Owen Thompson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government will match the support provided by the Scottish Child Payment on a UK-wide basis.

Richard Fuller: Over 7 million families across the UK already receive Child Benefit payments, at flat rates of £21.80 weekly for first children, and £14.45 for each additional child. Child Benefit ensures families receive predictable, consistent support for the additional costs they face in raising a child. Support for children from low-income households is also provided through the child element of Universal Credit. The Government does not intend to replicate the support provided by the Scottish Child Payment on a UK-wide basis. This is because we have already taken decisive action to support families through this Winter. The Energy Price Guarantee will cap the unit price households pay for electricity and gas, which means that a typical household in Great Britain will have to pay bills equivalent to no more than £2500 a year on their energy bills this winter. This is in addition to the £400 discount through the Energy Bills Support Scheme. Further support is provided to families to help with current pressures including a one-off £650 Cost of Living Payment for those on means-tested benefits and additional help with the cost of essentials through the Household Support Fund in England.

Employment: Taxation

Justin Madders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing an alternative tax arrangement for payments made by employers to help support their employees with increases in the cost of living.

Richard Fuller: The Government understands that people across the UK are worried about the cost of living, and has taken decisive action to get households and businesses through this winter and the next.Introducing a tax relief on bonuses or discretionary payments could risk tax avoidance in circumstances where individuals are able to set artificially low contracted hours in order to benefit from additional tax-free payments.The Government remains committed to managing the public finances in a disciplined and responsible way by targeting support where it is most needed. Tax reliefs are difficult to target in this way; they are of greatest benefit to those paying higher rates of tax while low-earning individuals benefit less or not at all.

Liquefied Natural Gas: UK Trade with EU

Hilary Benn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total value of LNG trans-shipments from the UK to the European Union has been in each of the last 24 months.

Richard Fuller: HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the collection and publication of data on imports and exports of goods to and from the UK. HMRC releases this information monthly, as a National Statistic called the Overseas Trade in Goods Statistics (OTS), which is available via their dedicated website (www.uktradeinfo.com). From this website, it is possible to build your own data tables based upon bespoke search criteria.  HMRC does not collect data on transhipments to the EU   The total value of Liquefied Natural Gas, falling within commodity code 27 1111 00, exported from the UK to the EU over the last 24 months, is displayed in the attached.Doc contains info referred to in answer (xlsx, 18.0KB)

Food: VAT

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to reduce the level of VAT charged on hot meals served at food outlets.

Richard Fuller: The VAT reduced rate for the hospitality sector was a temporary measure designed to support the cash flow and viability of sectors that have been severely affected by COVID-19. It was appropriate that as restrictions were lifted and demand for goods and services in these sectors increased, the temporary tax reliefs were first reduced and then removed in order to rebuild and strengthen the public finances. According to OBR forecasts, VAT will have raised approximately £135 billion in 2021-22, helping to fund key spending priorities such as important public services, including the NHS and policing. In addition, this request should be viewed in the context of over £50 billion of requests for relief from VAT received since the EU referendum.

Income Tax: Cost of Living

Martyn Day: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the personal allowance for income tax in the context of the rising cost of living.

Richard Fuller: The Government has increased the Income Tax Personal Allowance (PA) by over 40 per cent in real terms since 2010. The PA’s current level, of £12,570 in 2022-23, is £3,805 higher than it would have been if it had been uprated by inflation every year since 2010-11. The PA is high by international standards and is one of the most generous personal tax allowances in the OECD. However, the Government keeps all taxes under review. On cost of living support, the Government has taken immediate action to help households through the Energy Price Guarantee and the Energy Bills Support Scheme. This is in addition to the £37 billion of targeted support for the cost of living this financial year.

Tax Avoidance

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will commission an independent review into the adequacy of the Government's loan charge policy.

Richard Fuller: The 2019 Independent Loan Charge Review drew upon all the available evidence and expert advice to consider the appropriateness of the Loan Charge policy, and its impact on individuals, reflecting the main concerns that had been raised by MPs and campaigners. The Government accepted all but one of the twenty recommendations in the review. While there are no plans for a further independent review, the Government continues to look carefully at this issue to ensure that we provide taxpayers with all the support they need.

Tax Avoidance

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HMRC has received legal advice on the pursuit of (a) employees and (b) employers for the use of loan schemes.

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the revenue that will accrue to the Treasury from the loan charge.

Richard Fuller: The Loan Charge was announced at Budget 2016 as part of a package of measures to tackle Disguised Remuneration (DR) tax avoidance. At Spring Statement 2022, this package was estimated to bring in an estimated overall Exchequer yield of £3.4 billion. The changes resulting from the 2019 independent review of the Loan Charge have reduced the Exchequer yield by an estimated £620 million. HMRC will go to the employer to settle the tax due or collect the Loan Charge in the first instance. Approximately 80 per cent of the £3.4 billion HMRC brought into charge through DR settlements between Budget 2016 and the end of March 2022 was from employers. However, liability for the tax is always that of the individual and HMRC will consider other options when collection from the employer is not possible, such as when the employer no longer exists or is based offshore. Parliament has provided a range of statutory powers allowing HMRC, in certain circumstances, to collect the amount due from the employee. HMRC’s lawyers considered all of these points when providing legal advice that informed this policy’s development.

Income Tax: Tax Rates and Bands

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason he removed the Additional Rate of Income Tax.

Richard Fuller: The Government is committed to lowering the tax burden and growing the economy, but has decided not to abolish the Additional Rate of income tax in 2023.

Mortgages: Cost of Living

Justin Madders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of increases in the cost of living on mortgage prisoners.

Justin Madders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies towards mortgage prisoners of the report by the Financial Conduct Authority entitled Mortgage Prisoner Review, published on 29 November 2021, in the context of recent increases in mortgage interest rates.

Andrew Griffith: The Financial Conduct Authority’s review into mortgage prisoners, published in November 2021, found that the population of mortgage prisoners is varied and complex. There is no single measure to address the circumstances of this population of mortgage holders. Where mortgage borrowers are in financial difficulty and struggling to pay their mortgage, Financial Conduct Authority guidance requires firms to provide support through tailored forbearance options. The Government has also taken a number of measures aimed at helping people to avoid repossession, including Support for Mortgage Interest loans for those in receipt of an income-related benefit, and protection in the courts through the Pre-Action Protocol, which makes it clear that repossession must always be the last resort for lenders. More broadly on cost-of-living support, the Government has taken immediate action to help households through the Energy Price Guarantee and the Energy Bills Support Scheme. This is in addition to the £37 billion of targeted support for the cost of living this financial year.

Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation: Correspondence

Kevin Hollinrake: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many warning letters have been issued by the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation in response to Suspicious Activity Reports of potential sanctions breaches in (a) each financial and (b) calendar years in the last three years including 2022.

Andrew Griffith: When individuals or firms report frozen funds or dealing with a designated person to HM Treasury’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), OFSI takes appropriate action depending on the report. Where there may be financial sanctions compliance concerns it investigates accordingly. OFSI’s responses range from no further action, where no breach is found, to monetary penalties where a breach is sufficiently serious. OFSI may issue a warning letter in a wide range of circumstances, including following enforcement investigations in response to a Suspicious Activity Report (SAR). However, OFSI does not break down referral data for enforcement cases which originate from SARs.

PayPal: Free Speech Union and UsForThem

Sarah Olney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the recent actions regarding Free Speech Union and UsForThem accounts by PayPal; and if he will ask the Financial Conduct Authority to investigate.

Andrew Griffith: I am grateful to the honourable member for her question on this topic, which I know has raised questions of free speech for many across the House. That is not a matter for the Treasury but I can shed light on the question from the perspective of underlying financial services regulation, for which the department is responsible. The Payment Services Regulations 2017 – for which the FCA is the responsible regulator in the UK – include provisions relating to the termination of framework contracts. Under these provisions, a payment services provider is able to terminate contracts with two months’ notice if provided for within its own terms and conditions. In addition, a payment service provider may have the right to cease the use of a payment instrument on reasonable grounds relating to, among other things, fraud, money laundering or terrorist financing. Nothing of this nature appears to have been relevant in this case. In addition, principle 6 in the FCA’s Handbook requires firms to pay due regard to the interests of its customers and treat them fairly. This might apply to the terms of a contract between a firm and its customers, and in particular to the processes a firm puts in place. There are also provisions relating to unfair contract terms in the Consumer Rights Act 2015. As with any regulatory framework, the legislation is only one half of the story, with the interpretation and practice of individual firms and the oversight of supervisors being of at least equal importance. That is primarily an operational matter for the FCA. I will meet with all parties in the coming weeks and see whether legislative changes may be warranted.

Music: Business Rates

David Warburton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effect of business rates on the viability of (a) live music venues and (b) music studios.

Andrew Griffith: Businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sector will receive a tax cut worth almost £1.7 billion in 2022-23. Eligible properties receive 50 per cent off their business rates bill, up to a maximum of £110,000 per business. Combined with Small Business Rates Relief, this means over 90 per cent of retail, hospitality and leisure businesses will receive at least 50 per cent off their rates bills in 2022-23. The Government also committed to freezing the multiplier for 2022-23, which is a tax cut worth £4.6 billion to businesses over the next 5 years. Announcements on Business Rates for the upcoming financial year will be made in due course. The Government also supports our world leading music industry through a range of export support programmes including in 2022-23 the successful Music Export Growth Scheme (MEGS) and the International Showcase Fund (ISF).

Mortgages

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has had recent discussions with mortgage lenders on (a) reducing the cost of borrowing and (b) ensuring that mortgage approvals remain at a steady rate.

Andrew Griffith: The Chancellor and I are in regular contact with mortgage lenders on all aspects of their mortgage lending to understand their position and current lending conditions, including most recently at the Chancellor’s roundtable with retail and challenger banks on 6 October. Ultimately, the pricing, availability and approval of loans remains a commercial decision for lenders in which the Government does not seek to intervene.

National Farmers Union: Financial Services and Markets Bill

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many meetings he has had with the National Union of Farmers on the potential impact of the Financial Services and Markets Bill on members of that union in the last 12 months.

Andrew Griffith: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

Financial Ombudsman Service: Standards

Gareth Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he has taken to ensure the Financial Ombudsman Service deals promptly and fairly with complaints in respect of small financial advice businesses.

Andrew Griffith: The Government is clear that the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) should deal with all cases promptly and fairly. The rules on how the FOS should handle complaints state that ‘The ombudsman will attempt to resolve complaints at the earliest possible stage ’DISP 3.5 Resolution of complaints by the Ombudsman - FCA Handbook’. Inevitably some cases will be more complex than others and therefore take more time to resolves, however the FOS should deal with all cases in a timely manner. The FOS is an independent non-governmental body. The Treasury is therefore not involved in the day-to-day operations of the FOS and the remit of the FOS is set out by the Financial Conduct Authority. Nevertheless, the Government believes that it is vitally important that the FOS should be accountable for its performance and the quality of its work. The FOS answers to a board of directors, appointed by the Financial Conduct Authority, and must make a report each year on the discharge of its functions which is required to be laid before Parliament. This ensures Parliament is able to scrutinise the efficiency, effectiveness and economy with which the FOS carries out its functions, including data concerning the time it takes for the FOS to deal with cases. The FOS have been clear that bringing down waiting times is one of their main priorities for 2022/23 as outlined in their annual plan and budget. This includes ensuring cases are allocated more quickly and improving turnaround times by caseworkers. I am pleased to hear that the FOS are also investing in technological changes which they expect to bring down waiting times including further development of a digital portal and implementing additional intelligent automation capability.

Stocks and Shares: Energy

Sarah Olney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what percentage of stock buybacks in the last financial year were made by oil and gas companies.

Andrew Griffith: HM Treasury does not hold this data. However, such data may be provided publicly by certain financial markets data companies.

Safe Hands Plans: Insolvency

Marion Fellows: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent steps his Department has taken to (a) help support and (b) provide assistance to the customers of Safe Hands Funeral Plans.

Andrew Griffith: In January 2021, the government legislated to bring all pre-paid funeral plan providers and intermediaries within the regulatory remit of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) from 29 July 2022. This has ensured that 1.6 million funeral plan customers are, for the first time, protected by compulsory and robust regulation as they seek to put their affairs in order. Safe Hands Plans went into administration in March 2022. The government understands that this will be very concerning for customers of Safe Hands. While the detailed investigation being carried out by the administrators is ongoing, the government continues to work closely with the FCA to monitor the implementation of regulation in this sector. The government has been supportive of steps taken by the sector to provide assistance to Safe Hands customers. Dignity and Co-op – two of the largest providers in the country – have recently offered Safe Hands’ customers new funeral plans at a substantially discounted price. This may go some way towards supporting affected planholders.

Mortgages: Interest Rates

Claire Hanna: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to help support people who are unable to switch to a new fixed rate mortgage, in the context of rising interest rates.

Andrew Griffith: Around 75% of residential mortgage borrowers are on a fixed rate, and therefore shielded from rate rises in the near term. There remains a broad range of mortgage products on the market, and those looking to switch mortgages are encouraged to shop around and speak to a mortgage broker in order to find the best possible product for them. Ultimately though, the pricing and availability of loans is a commercial decision for lenders in which the Government does not intervene.

Shipping: Russia

Sarah Olney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of banning the provision of maritime insurance by UK companies to Russian vessels.

Andrew Griffith: Alongside members of the G7, the Government has already committed to finalising a prohibition on services, including insurance, with respect to the maritime transportation of Russian oil and oil products. HM Treasury is leading the development of the design and implementation of the ban for the UK, working closely with other government departments. The Government will set out details of how it expects to implement this policy in due course. The services ban will curtail Putin’s capacity to finance his war from oil exports.

Azure Services: Loans

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2022 to Question 47726 on Azure Services: Loans, how many and what proportion of affected customers have been offered financial redress.

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department is taking steps to help ensure that customers of Azure Services Ltd who were impacted by the mis-selling of loans for timeshares at the Golden Sands Resort in Malta have been (a) identified and (b) offered financial redress through the Barclays Bank remediation programme.

Andrew Griffith: The Government does not hold information on how many customers who took out loans from Barclays Partner Finance which were brokered through Azure Services have been offered redress. However, the Government understands that Barclays Partner Finance has begun communicating next steps to customers on how they can obtain redress for loans that were brokered through Azure Services. The Government notes that the remediation programme will be undertaken in phases, and that groups of customers will receive communications at different times. More detail on the remediation programme can be found at: https://www.barclayspartnerfinance.com/home/personal/azure/ The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) holds regular meetings with Barclays Partner Finance to monitor progress on the remediation programme for customers of Azure Services. The Treasury engages regularly with the FCA on the remediation programme to understand how it is progressing.

Tax Avoidance: Bankruptcy

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the potential impact of the loan charge on trends in the level of bankruptcies.

Richard Fuller: No estimate can be provided for trends in bankruptcy rates for people that are subject to the loan charge. Where debts arise, HMRC are not always the only creditor. Some individuals are declared bankrupt as a result of a non-HMRC debt or may choose to enter insolvency proceedings themselves, based on their overall financial position. HMRC only ever considers insolvency as a last resort. They encourage taxpayers to get in contact with them, with a view to agreeing the best way to settle the tax debts. To date, HMRC has not initiated insolvency proceedings against any taxpayer for a Loan Charge debt.

Tax Avoidance: Repayments

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people seeking refunds due to the changes made by the Morse Review have been refunded by HMRC.

Richard Fuller: Following Lord Morse’s Independent Loan Charge Review in 2019, HMRC established the Disguised Renumeration (DR) Repayment Scheme 2020 to repay voluntary payments that taxpayers had agreed to make as part of settlements concluded before changes were made to the scope of the Loan Charge. Individuals and employers had until 30 September 2021 to apply to HMRC for a refund or waiver. HMRC repays amounts that were paid in DR scheme settlements, and/or waives amounts of instalments due that have not yet been paid if certain conditions are met. As of 30 September 2022, HMRC had processed approximately 2350 applications, of which approximately 1350 had received either a repayment, a waiver, or both. Approximately 1000 of the applications processed at that date were either invalid or ineligible.

Tax Avoidance

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Loan Charge on (a) staff, (b) administration, (c) legal advice and (d) consultancy costs for businesses since the implementation of that scheme.

Richard Fuller: The impact of the Loan Charge on businesses was considered as part of the 22 November 2017 Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN). The TIIN assessed that the Loan Charge would only affect businesses engaging in avoidance schemes and would have no impact on the administrative burdens of compliant businesses undertaking normal commercial transactions.

Revenue and Customs: Classification Schemes

Sarah Olney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the performance of the (a) advice and (b) complaint system for the HMRC Tariff Classification Service.

Richard Fuller: HMRC provide advice through the Tariff Classification Service: classification.enquiries@hmrc.gov.uk. This is a dedicated email service for customers and provides help for non-legally binding advice on classifying goods. In 2021, the Tariff Classification Service team received 35,745 emails and 99.4 per cent were actioned within the turnaround time of 5 working days. From January to August this year, the team received 14,009 emails and 99.4 per cent were actioned within 5 working days. Complaints can be sent to HMRC through several ways. Once received, they are allocated to the appropriate team for action. Since January 2021, there have been no complaints for the Tariff Classification Service through the HMRC Complaints process, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/complain-about-hmrc.

Charging Points: VAT

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much annual revenue his Department generates from VAT on electric vehicle charging points.

Richard Fuller: The information requested is not available. HMRC does not hold information on VAT revenue from specific products or services, including VAT on public electric vehicle charging points. This is because businesses are not required to provide figures at a product level within their VAT returns, as this would impose an excessive administrative burden.

Northern Ireland Customs and Trade Academy and Trader Support Service: Contracts

Richard Thomson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the (a) companies and (b) non-governmental bodies with contracts for the delivery of training and services associated with the (i) Trader Support Service and (ii) Northern Ireland Customs and Trade Academy; and the cost to date of the services delivered by said companies and non-governmental bodies.

Richard Fuller: The consortium responsible for delivery of the Trader Support Service contract is led and managed by Fujitsu. The consortium members include Hinduja Global Solutions, The Institute of Export and International Trade (IOE), EORI (UK) Limited, Capita Pay 360, Amazon Web Services, and Descartes. The Northern Ireland Customs and Trade Academy is managed by the IOE. The costs associated with this element form part of the overall cost of the Trader Support Service, which is estimated to be £309 millon up to September 2022.

Trader Support Service: Costs

Richard Thomson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the potential cost of extending the Trader Support Service to December 2023.

Richard Fuller: The forecasted cost for extending the Trader Support Service to December 2023 is £113 million.

Trader Support Service: Costs

Richard Thomson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total cost of the Trader Support Service has been since its launch in 2020.

Richard Fuller: The total cost of the Trader Support Service from its launch until September 2022 was £309 million.

Foster Care: Taxation

Kim Leadbeater: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential (a) financial and (b) other implications of the Making Tax Digital reforms on foster carers; and if he will meet affected groups to discuss this issue.

Richard Fuller: The Making Tax Digital (MTD) reforms aim to preserve the existing Income Tax easements for carers, whilst ensuring the wider benefits of MTD are realised. Whether a carer is within the scope of MTD depends on if their income from caring exceeds their allowance for Qualifying Care Relief, as well as the MTD for Income Tax threshold. All existing Income Tax easements for foster carers, such as where carers completing a tax return do not have to report expenses from caring, will apply to MTD as well. The Government has committed to ensuring there are free software products for the smallest businesses with straightforward affairs. HMRC will continue to engage with foster carers and their representative bodies.

Tax Avoidance

Sarah Olney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate HM Revenue and Customs has made of the proportion of tax evaded through disguised remuneration schemes that will be paid by entities that recommended, promoted and operated those schemes.

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much of the tax HMRC believes was avoided through disguised remuneration schemes will be paid by those who (a) recommended, (b) promoted and (c) operated those schemes.

Richard Fuller: Disguised remuneration (DR) avoidance schemes seek to avoid tax that is due from those that use them, so action to counteract this involves a tax charge on the scheme user, rather than the promoter or enablers of such schemes. Where the user was employed, HMRC will go to the employer to settle the tax due or collect the Loan Charge in the first instance. Where collection from an employer is not possible, such as when the employer no longer exists or is based offshore, HMRC considers other options to collect the tax due. Approximately 80 per cent of the £3.4 billion HMRC brought into charge through DR settlements between Budget 2016 and the end of March 2022 was from employers. The Government and HMRC are committed to tackling promoters and enablers of tax avoidance schemes. HMRC can charge enablers of defeated tax avoidance schemes penalties of up to 100 per cent of the fees earned, and legislation included in Finance Acts 2021 and 2022 strengthens and accelerates this power and other measures to tackle promoters and enablers. The First-Tier Tribunal has recently imposed a penalty on a promoter for failing to disclose a scheme under the Disclosure of Tax Avoidance Schemes (DOTAS) regime in excess of £1 million.

Tax Avoidance

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) promoters and (b) operators of schemes now subject to the loan charge have been prosecuted for (i) promoting and (ii) operating those schemes.

Richard Fuller: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that was given on 3 November 2021 to the Question UIN 62867: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2021-10-25/62867.

Tax Avoidance

Sir Mike Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much HMRC has spent on (a) legal advice and (b) other legal costs in relation to the loan charge since it was introduced.

Richard Fuller: HMRC does not hold an estimate of the total amount of legal costs relating to the Loan Charge since it was introduced in 2016. HMRC will, when needed, incur costs instructing external counsel and other litigators. Costs records are maintained where required for litigation. Where such records are maintained, the costs recorded only include litigation expenses, and time spent by HMRC’s lawyers and litigators rather than total HMRC staff time and other expenses. HMRC also has an internal legal team that provides legal advice on a number of different areas, such as developing, changing, and maintaining legislation, guidance, and interpretation of law. Therefore, to obtain and compile a total cost figure for all legal advice and other legal costs relating to the Loan Charge since 2016 would come at disproportionate cost.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Football Governance Fan-led Review

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what progress her Department has made in implementing the recommendations of the Fan-Led Review of Football Governance.

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with (a) with representatives of the Football Association (FA) and (b) other football bodies on the potential merits of establishing a football-led consensus to the fan-led review.

Stuart Andrew: The Government published its response to the recommendations made by the Independent Fan Led Review of Football Governance in April 2022. We absolutely recognise the need for football to be reformed to ensure the game’s sustainability in the long term. We are now taking the time to consider the policy, and are continuing to engage with the Football Authorities and fan groups as this policy develops. We remain committed to publishing a White Paper, setting out our detailed response to the fan led review of football governance, and will set this out in due course.

Channel Four Television: Privatisation

Beth Winter: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to publish a new consultation on the future ownership of Channel 4 Television Corporation.

Beth Winter: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she take steps to (a) reopen and (b) reconsider submissions made to her Department's consultation on a potential change of ownership of Channel 4 Television Corporation.

Julia Lopez: Channel 4 is a great UK success story and, in a rapidly changing media landscape, the government wants it to thrive in the long-term while maintaining its distinctiveness.As set out in our recent white paper, Up Next - the Government’s vision for the broadcasting sector, Channel 4 - along with all broadcasters - is facing challenges to its future success and sustainability. This is due to the rapidly evolving media landscape, including unprecedented competition for viewers, programmes and talent from overseas as well as new, rapidly growing, streaming platforms.As the Prime Minister has said, it is right that we look at the business case for a sale of Channel 4, and the Secretary of State has confirmed she is doing that. We will set out further detail in due course.The Government consulted extensively on the future of Channel 4 last year and has no plans to reconsult at this time.

Broadband: Universal Service Obligation

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps she has taken to progress her policy to provide all households with broadband speeds which satisfy the Universal Service Obligation.

Julia Lopez: In March 2021, we launched our £5 billion Project Gigabit to deliver lightning-fast, reliable broadband across the UK. Project Gigabit’s objective is to level up the UK by giving hard-to-reach areas access to gigabit-capable internet speeds and, coupled with commercial gigabit delivery, ensuring almost all of the UK has access to gigabit-capable internet as soon as possible.We have recently signed our first local Project Gigabit contracts in North Dorset and Teesdale, prioritising delivery to rural, hard-to-reach premises and to those with the lowest broadband speeds, and we will be awarding further contracts over the coming months.Furthermore, up to £210 million is available for Gigabit Broadband Vouchers to support rural communities with the cost of installing new gigabit-capable connections.Separately to Project Gigabit, the broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) provides the legal right to request a decent broadband connection, helping to ensure full participation in both society and the economy.Since its launch in 2020, the number of premises eligible for the broadband USO has fallen from 189,000 to 66,000 as of May 2022. Ofcom estimates that a further 17,000 premises are currently unable to receive a decent broadband connection, but are expected to receive an upgrade by a publicly funded rollout scheme within the next 12 months.

Video Games: Investment

Deidre Brock: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of the proposal by the Independent Game Developers’ Association to introduce a video games investment fund.

Julia Lopez: The Government is committed to supporting the growth of the UK’s games sector. As part of a wider package to support the growth of the creative industries, the government is delivering an £8 million expansion of the UK Games Fund. The UK Games Fund will provide valuable support to early stage games development businesses and talented graduates throughout the UK. In addition, the Video Games Tax Relief continues to make the UK one of the leading destinations in the world for making video games.We are not seeking to take forward a proposal for a new Video Games Investment Fund. We welcome continued discussions with the games industry on how best to support a thriving UK games sector.

BBC News

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on the potential impact of the merger of BBC World News and the BBC News Channel on democracy in (a) the UK and (b) African countries.

Julia Lopez: The Government strongly supports the BBC’s mission to bring high quality and impartial news to global audiences in some of the most remote places in the world, particularly where free speech is limited.The BBC’s proposal to merge BBC News and BBC World News forms part of their plan announced on 26 May to build a digital-first organisation, and means they will continue providing a 24-hour news channel for the UK and overseas.We recognise that in the current fiscal context, the BBC, like other organisations, is facing difficult financial decisions. However, the BBC is operationally and editorially independent from the government, and decisions on service delivery are a matter for them.

Future of Women's Football Review: Finance

Jeff Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the funding arrangements will be for the Future of Women’s Football review.

Stuart Andrew: The Independent Review of the Future of Women's Football will be supported by a Secretariat of officials from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Football Association, with use of additional resources as appropriate.

Future of Women's Football Review: Civil Servants

Jeff Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what civil service capacity will be allocated to the Future of Women’s Football review.

Stuart Andrew: The Independent Chair of the Women’s Football Review will be supported by a Secretariat of officials from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Football Association.A full report is expected to be published early next year, with the government formally responding shortly afterwards.

Future of Women's Football Review

Jeff Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how the terms of reference for the Future of Women’s Football review were decided.

Stuart Andrew: The themes of the Future of Women’s Football Review explore a range of opportunities within the women’s game. These were developed and informed by the findings of the Fan Led Review, conversations with industry experts, and in consultation with the Review Chair.Women’s football has developed at pace in recent years, and the success of the Lionesses at the Euros highlighted that. As we celebrate that success, we must ensure that we use these foundations to secure a long lasting and sustainable future for the women’s game.

Football: Czechia

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with representatives of UEFA on (a) making an assessment of the suitability of the Fortuna Arena for hosting and (b) steps to help ensure the security of fans at the 2023 UEFA Europa Conference League Final.

Stuart Andrew: The safety of fans at the 2023 UEFA Europa Conference League Final will be the responsibility of the stadium owners and UEFA. All relevant UK bodies (including the Sports Ground Safety Authority and the UK Football Policing Unit) will engage with the appropriate organisations to assist with security planning if a UK team is involved.

Charities: Political Activities

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Charity Commission communicated concerns to (a) charities and (b) her Department on the political use of (i) email accounts and (ii) social media profiles by employees of charities classified as working in education in the last five years.

Stuart Andrew: For many years, the Charity Commission has published clear guidance on political and campaigning activity by charities. The Charity Commission also recently published a shorter and more accessible version of this guidance (a ‘5-minute guide’), to help communicate its key principles to charity trustees.If an individual has concerns that a charity’s political or campaigning activity goes beyond what is permitted, they should raise them with the Charity Commission. Such concerns could include the inappropriate use of the charity’s IT or social media.

Cultural Heritage: Havering

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions her department has had with (a) Havering Council and (b) other groups in the London Borough of Havering about (i) the preservation of buildings of British cultural heritage, (ii) the promotion of cultural heritage, and (iii) in the context of the Mayor's London Plan which identifies Romford as an Opportunity Area with the potential for 5000 new homes by 2041, the extent to which that ambition is compatible with the preservation of Romford's cultural heritage.

Stuart Andrew: DCMS has had no recent discussions with Havering Council or other groups in the London Borough of Havering about these matters.

Historic Buildings: Havering

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many Building Preservation Notices (BPNs) have been issued in the past five years in the London Borough of Havering.

Stuart Andrew: DCMS is not aware of any Building Preservation Notices having been served in the London Borough of Havering within the last five years.

Listed Buildings: Havering

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many designated listed buildings, itemised by grade of listing, are in (a) Romford and (b) Havering.

Stuart Andrew: The current number of Listed Buildings in Romford, and in the London Borough of Havering, is detailed in the table below: RomfordLondon Borough of HaveringNumber of Grade I Listed Buildings0*6Number of Grade II* Listed Buildings1*15Number of Grade II Listed Buildings10*126Total11*147* These figures represent a subset of those for the London Borough of Havering.

Economic Growth

Craig Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support (a) community based businesses, (b) social enterprises and (c) trading charities in contributing to growth in the local economy.

Stuart Andrew: The Government strongly supports the social enterprise sector’s contribution to society and the economy.Social enterprises create jobs for those excluded from the labour market, directly address social challenges and build social capital within communities.Policy relating to social enterprise is devolved. In England the government will continue to support the sector through access to finance including social investment, growing participation in public services and effective regulation.Work is also underway to meet the commitments made in the Levelling Up White Paper around:encouraging social organisations and entrepreneurship to flourish in left-behind places and generating evidence on what works;building on and augmenting existing support for the sector;encouraging the next generation of social entrepreneurs.

Civil Society: Cost of Living

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment the Government has made of the effect of the cost of living crisis on charities and community groups that support people with the cost of living in Newcastle.

Stuart Andrew: As households and communities face rising energy prices over the winter, charities are seeing higher demand for their services while contending with the same price increases themselves.That is why the government announced the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, supporting all charities, public sector organisations and businesses with their energy costs this winter by offering an energy price guarantee for six months. This scheme will benefit charities and community groups across the country, including those operating in Newcastle.My Department will keep engaging constructively with the civil society sector up and down the country and across government to monitor the impact of rising costs, and ensure DCMS is engaged on policy which impacts charities and civil society.

Internet: Safety

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the definition of legal but harmful in the Online Safety Bill.

Damian Collins: The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is currently reviewing the adult safety duties and the definition of content that is harmful to adults. This is to ensure that we strike the right balance between protecting users from harmful content online and protecting users’ rights to freedom of expression.

Video Recordings: Disinformation

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent estimate she has made with Cabinet colleagues of the number of (a) crimes and (b) scams involving deepfake technology.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) the police to tackle fraudsters who pose as government departments or officials in order to unlawfully access bank accounts.

Damian Collins: Ministers and officials have regular meetings with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues, including deepfake technology. Details of ministerial meetings are published on the GOV.UK website.

Gambling Act 2005 Review

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 23 September 2022 to Question HL2267 on Gambling Act 2005 Review, what her Department's timescale is for publishing their response to their review of the Gambling Act 2005.

Damian Collins: The Gambling Act Review is a wide-ranging and comprehensive look at gambling legislation and regulation in Great Britain to make sure it is fit for the digital age. We will publish a White paper setting out our vision for the sector in the coming weeks.

Internet: Safety

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department has taken to ensure that the voices and experiences (a) Molly Russell and (b) other children and families will be included in the creation of a new online regulatory system.

Damian Collins: The experience of Molly Russell and her family highlights the importance of holding tech companies to account to keep their users, and in particular children, safe online. The Government has consulted widely, including with parents and children, to develop the new regulatory framework.A set of statutory duties will be placed on Ofcom, requiring the regulator to conduct research and consult with users when carrying out their online safety duties. This includes the opinions and experiences of children, parents and families, which Ofcom will use when developing its codes of practice.The Bill will also require companies to enable children, and their parents or guardians, to easily report harmful content and, where necessary for those companies to take action.

Video Recordings: Disinformation

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to increase public awareness of deepfakes.

Damian Collins: The Government takes seriously the threat of disinformation and online manipulation which includes digitally manipulated content such as deepfakes. Building public awareness and resilience is a key part of our whole society approach to tackling the threat.Last year, the government published the Online Media Literacy Strategy, setting out our plans to support the empowerment of citizens with the skills and knowledge they need to make safe and informed choices online. This includes supporting citizens to: critically think about online content, understand how the online environment works including how images can be manipulated, and understand that the online world is not always reflective of reality.In April 2022 we published our £2.5 million year two Action Plan setting out our work programme to meet the ambition of the Strategy. This included launching the Media Literacy Programme Fund which will award grant funding to organisations undertaking activity to build citizens' resilience to misinformation and disinformation. We have committed to publishing future actions plans each Financial Year until March 2025.

Internet and Pornography: Children

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to protect children from (a) harmful online content and (b) pornography.

Damian Collins: Protecting children online is a priority for the government. The strongest protections in the Online Safety Bill are for children. All companies in scope will need to assess whether their service is likely to be accessed by children and if so, deliver additional protections to protect children from harmful content or activity. If they fail to do so, they will be subject to tough enforcement action by the regulator, Ofcom.The Bill will cover all online sites that offer pornography, including commercial pornography sites, social media, video sharing platforms, forums and search engines. There is also a separate additional duty in the Bill which will require providers who publish pornographic content on their services to prevent children from accessing that content.

Health Hazards: Rubber

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential health risks from tyre crumb fill on 3G sports pitches.

Stuart Andrew: Artificial grass pitches are recognised as a durable, safe, year-round playing surfaces, able to withstand intensive use and all kinds of weather. They mean more people can benefit from the social and health benefits of physical activity.We recognise the concerns that have been raised about the safety and environmental impact associated with these pitches, and take them very seriously.Sport England have monitored numerous independent scientific studies on the safety of rubber crumb, which have reported a very low or negligible level of concern for human health. The European Chemicals Agency European Chemicals Regulatory Authority (ECHA) published its own findings in 2019, following an extensive EU-wide study, and found no reason to advise people against playing sport on 3G pitches with rubber crumb.Following the UK’s exit from the EU, the regulatory framework for these matters now sits at a UK level (except for Northern Ireland). The four national governments of the UK and their agencies are working with leading sports and industry bodies to provide greater reassurance to communities that artificial grass pitches in this country are both safe for the environment and for people to play on.

Television Licences: Non-payment

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many people (a) have been (i) fined, (ii) arrested and (iii) imprisoned for non payment of their television licence in each of the last three years and (b) are subject to legal action for non payment of their television licence.

Julia Lopez: The maximum penalty for non-payment of the TV licence fee is a fine. A person cannot receive a custodial sentence for TV licence evasion but can be committed to prison for wilfully refusing to pay the fine or culpably neglecting to pay. Imprisonment is only pursued as a matter of last resort.In 2019, 122,603 people were proceeded against for non-payment of the licence fee. Of these, 113,002 people were fined. The number of people admitted to prison for failing to pay fines in respect of the non-payment of a TV licence in England and Wales in 2019 was two or fewer (the actual number has not been released in order to protect against personal identification).In 2020, 53,301 people were proceeded against, and 49,948 were fined. In 2021, 49,126 people were proceeded against, and 44,364 were fined. In 2020 and 2021, there were no admissions into prison associated with failing to pay a fine in respect of the non-payment of a TV licence in England and Wales.We do not hold data on the number of people arrested for non-payment of a fine which relates to non-payment of their television licence.The information on prosecutions, convictions and sentencing outcomes is published online in the Outcomes by Offence data tool, available here.

5G

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department's target for the majority of the population to have access to a 5G signal by 2027 relates to standalone full 5G or non-standalone 5G.

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the proportion of the population with access to (a) standalone full 5G and (b) non-standalone 5G.

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department is on track to meet its target for the majority of the population to have access to a 5G signal by 2027.

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when the Wireless Infrastructure Strategy will be published.

Julia Lopez: In 2017, the government set an ambition for the majority of the population to have access to 5G by 2027. This has been met five years early, with basic “non-standalone” 5G - which uses 5G equipment on 4G infrastructure.Ofcom Connected Nations Summer Update (7 October 2022) showed that non-standalone 5G is available outside up to 64% of premises across the UK.Our Wireless Infrastructure Strategy will set out how we can realise the full benefits of 5G for the UK. We aim to publish the strategy later this year.

Data Protection and Digital Information Bill

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when her Department plans to reintroduce the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill to Parliament.

Julia Lopez: The Data Protection and Digital Information Bill was introduced into the House of Commons on Monday 18 July 2022. Following the election of the new leader of the Conservative Party, Ministers are further considering the Bill and will set out next steps in due course.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Public Opinion

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to Ministerial Statement HCWS322 and the Answer of 25 April 2022 to Question 156485 on Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Public Opinion, what proportion of spend on research and evaluation services in 2021 related to focus groups; and which suppliers were used to run those focus groups in 2021.

Julia Lopez: The Department spent £110,875 (excluding VAT) on distinct focus groups commissioned to an external Supplier in 2021. These focus groups were delivered by C M Monitor (Britain Thinks) and details of the contract can be found on Contracts Finder, in line with Government Transparency Policy.More broadly the Department spent £1,259,396.63 (excluding VAT) on research and evaluations services, which may have encompassed the use of focus groups to some degree, in 2021. Details of the Department’s contracts, over £10,000 (including VAT) can be found on Contracts Finder. The Department cannot apportion expenditure on the use of focus groups, beyond the figure provided, as the expenditure cannot be wholly and exclusively isolated from within the use of wider research and evaluation services.

Prime Minister

Medicine: Research

Kim Johnson: To ask the Prime Minister, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of appointing a Minister for Human Relevant Science to be tasked with accelerating the take-up of innovative medical research techniques such as the use of artificial intelligence and organ-on-a-chip technology.

Elizabeth Truss: My hon. Friend, the Member for Wealden (Nusrat Ghani), is the Minister of State (Minister for Science and Investment Security) at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. A summary of her responsibilities can be found on gov.uk here:Minister of State (Minister for Science and Investment Security) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Disability: Departmental Responsibilities

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Prime Minister, whether she plans to appoint a Minister for Disabled People.

Elizabeth Truss: My hon. Friend, the Member for East Surrey (Claire Coutinho), has been appointed Minister for Disabled People. A summary of her responsibilities can be found on gov.uk here:Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).